Terrifying Video Captures Rock Formation Collapse Striking Several Boats

A rock formation collapse near a popular tourist area in Brazil has left at least five people dead and over a dozen others injured. The collapse happened along the Rio Grande River in the city of Capitolia in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The area is popular with boaters who like to drift through the rocky cliffs lining the river.

According to the Associated Press, local authorities said that the collapse was likely caused by a heavy downfall earlier in the day that loosened the rocks. The region has been dealing with flooding rains that have forced roughly 17,000 people to evacuate from their homes.

Several videos captured the terrifying moment a massive column of rocks crashed into the water, striking two boats that were floating underneath it. Each of the boats was carrying between ten and 20 people, including children.

Local officials said that at least 32 people were injured, and roughly 20 were still missing. Several people were taken to the hospital and have since been released.

The Navy has sent a search team including highly trained rescue divers to the area. Officials said that the divers will continue to search the area until it gets dark. They are expected to resume their search for any survivors or victims on Sunday.

Rovilson Teixeira, who has worked in the area for six years, told Brazilain news outlet OTempo that he expects the death toll to rise.

"We are all stunned. Nobody knows how many victims, but I can already tell you that there were not one or two deaths, but many deaths," he said, according to Fox News. "There are a lot of hurt people. The region is full of ambulances that have come from other areas to pick up the victims, but no one yet realizes the scale of the tragedy here."

Another video captured a first responder handing a young boy who had been rescued from the water to another man. The man took the shocked boy in his arms and began sobbing as he carried him over to another woman, who was hugging a child in a life jacket.