The state of Minas Gerais registers serious occurrences related to rain this Saturday (8). According to information released by the general command of the Military Fire Department of MG, a total of 98 specific calls for rain were registered in the state in the last 24 hours.
The information was confirmed at a press conference held by state authorities. Occurrences include closure of roads – which are covered by rainwater – places with the possibility of landslides, removal of families from risky places, the fall of a rock – in Capitólio, which caused six deaths – and the overflow of a dam in city of Nova Lima.
The Federal Highway Police warned that drivers do not leave their homes, as, according to authorities, the situation could worsen in the coming hours.
“If you can, avoid travel, [a rodovia] remains interdicted with no release forecast, only after proper inspections can the road begin to be cleaned. The alert and recommendation of the PRF is here: problems are arising all the time on the highways, there is no way to indicate a safe location for alternative routes, we receive information about interdictions all the time. The situation tends to get worse, avoid traveling in the next few hours because the situation tends to get worse”, said PRF spokesperson Aristides Júnior.
The overflow of a structure to contain water accumulated by the rains, which occurred in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, is being investigated by the authorities and six families have already been evacuated from the region at risk.
“There were six homes evacuated, the number of people we don’t exactly have, but it is close to the location of the dike. As a matter of precaution, they are being supported by the Civil Defense”, said the Fire Department, adding that there is still heavy rain in the region.
Capitol
The collapse of a rock on boats in the Capitólio region, in Minas Gerais, left at least six dead in the early afternoon of this Saturday (8).
A video circulating on social networks shows the moment when a large block of stones falls into the water of Lake Furnas, a tourist attraction in the region. The incident would have started with a “water head” in the region of the canyons, causing the collapse of stones and rocky structures, which affected at least three vessels — 2 sank.
At a press conference this Saturday afternoon, the Fire Department confirmed the deaths of five people and said there was a possibility that 20 people were missing at the scene of the accident. Around 6:40 pm, local authorities confirmed the sixth death.
The bodies of the victims have not yet been identified, and firefighters have the support of family members and tourism companies to help identify them.
“It will be necessary to carry out a necroscopic examination to identify whether it was drowning, blunt polytrauma, toxicological tests and also probably those victims who were on the boat did not carry their identification document. The fingerprint will be collected and sent for analysis, and if necessary, for criminal expertise”, said the Fire Department of MG.
victims
- 6 confirmed deaths;
- 3 victims cared for at Santa Casa de Passos;
- 4 victims cared for at the Santa Casa de São João da Barra;
- 2 victims cared for in the city of Piumhi;
- 23 victims assisted and already released from the Santa Casa de Capitólio
Reference: CNN Brasil
