Rock fell: 10 dead and over 30 injured

Body fragments of the last two victims of the rock collapse in Furnas Lake, in Capitólio, Minas Gerais state, have been found on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 9). According to the state Military Fire Department, the tragedy caused the death of ten people and at least 32 have been injured.

The bodies and fragments have been taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the neighboring city of Passos, where they are being identified with the help of dactyloscopy experts sent by the Superintendence of the Brazilian Federal Police.

Search efforts will continue, involving around 50 experts, among firefighters and Navy personnel.

The collapse occurred around 12:30 pm on Saturday (Dec. 8), when a large part of a cliff broke off from the Furnas Lake canyon, hitting at least three tourist boats. Two ships have sunk.

Most of the victims have suffered minor injuries, but at least two people had open fractures and underwent surgery in hospitals in the region.

Furnas Lake has an area of 1,440 square kilometers and was formed by the damming of the Rio Grande to generate energy from the Furnas hydroelectric plant. Along the lake there are several cities in the south of Minas Gerais. The collapse happened in the main sight-seeing point of the tour, where one sees two waterfalls at the entrance of the canyon.