At least four people are dead and more than a dozen are missing after a bridge collapses on the border between two northeastern Brazilian states. Search efforts were suspended after a tanker carrying toxic substances fell into the sea during the disaster.
The central section of the Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira Bridge, which connects Brazil's Tocantins and Maranhão states, collapsed on Sunday. According to local media, at least eight vehicles fell into the water in the disaster.
Initially, one death and more than a dozen people were reported missing. On Tuesday, the tragic death toll was updated to four. At least 10 people, including two children, are required.
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“Our priority is to find the bodies in the river and return them to their families,” said Cleder Jacomet, the environment and tourism minister in Aguarnopolis.
Bridge disaster in Brazil. There are thousands of liters of toxic substances in the water.
Search and rescue operations have been ongoing for several days and are being carried out under extremely difficult conditions.
The vehicles that fell into the river also included a tanker carrying around 25,000 liters of pesticides and 76 tonnes of sulfuric acid. Harmful substances entered the water and were considered a threat to divers.
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Therefore, the activities of experts were suspended. Globo portal reported that search parties resumed the search only with the help of boats.
There were concerns that leaks of hazardous substances could cause serious ecological impacts in the area. The service prohibited drinking and bathing in the Tocantins River. As we warned, sulfuric acid is one of the strongest acids and will cause severe burns if it comes into contact with your body.
A bridge collapses in Brazil. authorities spoke out
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and pledged support in the search efforts for the missing. It was also announced that an investigation has begun to determine the cause of the disaster.
Additionally, the Brazilian government is also working on rebuilding the bridge, which is expected to be completed within a year. Brazilian media have highlighted that the bridge over the Tarantis River, built in the 1960s, has been in “poor condition” for years and local residents have warned.
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