Brazil: Rescue teams find body after landslide on BR-376

Rescue teams working on the landslide on BR-376, in Guaratuba, State of Paraná in southern Brazil, found the body of a victim, according to information from the newspaper Bom Dia Paraná.

The accident that happened on Monday night (28) at kilometer 669, near the municipality of Guaratuba, on the coast of Paraná, caused vehicles to be buried and blocked in both directions on the highway that connects Curitiba to Santa Catarina. There is still no information about new victims.

According to information from the government of Paraná, the landslide happened around 7 pm and reached about 200 meters from both lanes of the highway, which already had queues during the afternoon.

Layers of mud dragged at least five trucks and 10 other vehicles off the road, according to preliminary information. Rescue forces are prioritizing care for people directly affected.

Since last night, military police, firefighters and civil defense workers have been working together with the Federal Highway Police and the Arteris Litoral Sul dealership in assisting the victims of the accident. Santa Catarina firefighters are also assisting state and federal teams.

According to Simepar, it rained more than 150 mm in Serra do Mar between Saturday and Monday. In the last 72 hours, the accumulated values ​​have already exceeded 200 mm in some parts of the coastal region.

COMPLETELY BLOCKED HIGHWAY

According to the concessionaire that administers the section of the highway, the connection between Paraná and Santa Catarina via the BR-376 is completely prohibited, with no forecast for release.

Blockages occur at the São José dos Pinhais toll plaza, km 635 of the BR-376/PR, at the PRF operating unit in Tijucas do Sul (km 662) and at the Garuva toll plaza, at km 1.3 of the BR -101/SC.

The alternative route recommended for connecting the two states is via the BR-470 and BR-116 highways.

MAYOR OF GUARATUBA REPORTS MOMENTS OF TERROR

The mayor of Guaratuba (PR), Roberto Justus, was one of the victims of the accident. On social media, he reported what he witnessed at the time.

“A horrible thing, the mountain came down, it carried us on top of other cases and we are only alive because of God’s deliverance. A lot of people must have been hurt, a lot of dirt, a lot of stones on top of the cars. In our case, the mud lifted us up and threw us into other cars. We were standing in line, the traffic was already blocked, and the mountain descended on us,” he reported.

Justus said that he and his driver broke the windows of the overturned car and left on foot, running across the road to try to escape the landslide, being rescued by employees of the dealership.

With information from Gazeta do Povo

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