Ten dead after cliff collapses on boaters in Brazil



At least 10 people have been reported dead after part of a cliff fell on a group of tourist boats in Brazil on Saturday.

The fire department of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais reported that the incident occurred around noon at Lake Furnas, a tourist spot roughly 260 miles north of Sao Paulo. National and local firefighters were deployed to help the victims, ABC News reported.

Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais, said on Twitter that heavy rains had contributed to the cliff collapse. ABC reported that the Brazilian navy is overseeing the investigation into the collapse.

The name of one victim has been released to the public so far: 68-year-old Julio Borges Antunes.

According to The Associated Press, more than 30 other people were injured in the incident and as many as 20 people could be missing. Most of those who were injured have been released from the hospital.

The Minas Gerais press office noted to the AP that even during dry seasons, movement in the lake is so strong that boats often have to take turns navigating the water.

Lake Furnas was created in 1958 by the construction of a hydroelectric plant. The lake is a popular draw for tourists, bringing in about 5,000 visitors on weekends and up to 30,000 during holidays.

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