Heavy rains open crater, block federal highway in Santa Catarina

A stretch of federal highway BR-470 in Santa Catarina state was closed after a crater opened up Wednesday morning (Feb. 14). According to local authorities, the road gave way at km 143, near the access interchange to Rio do Sul’s Canoas district, in Vale do Itajaí. A car carrying a couple fell into the crater, but both were assisted “without injuries and with stable vital signs” by the fire brigade rescue team.

The driver did not notice the warning signs placed by people on the road, and the car landed in the hole opened up during the heavy downpours that hit the southern region of Brazil. An ambulance was called, but the couple managed to leave the vehicle and were cared for at the scene.