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5 dead, 22 injured as bus plunges into ravine in southeastern Brazil

Other News Materials 31 December 2008 07:10 (UTC +04:00)

At least five people were killed and 22 others injured when their bus plunged 80 meters down into a ravine in southeastern Brazil, the Itapemirim bus company said Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

The accident took place on the outskirts of the small town of Alem Paraiba in Minas Gerais state. The bus, carrying at least 34 people, was traveling from Iuna in neighboring Espirito Santo state to Sao Paulo.

Itapemirim said it was raining heavily in the region. The bus fell into the ravine when the driver lost control at a curve.

At least seven people are still missing. The Fire Department rescue team said they might have been swept away by water and the rescue efforts were hindered by continuous rains.

The only identified victim was the bus driver, 36-year-old Amarildo de Oliveira Viana. The injured have been taken to a local hospital.

This is the largest highway network in Minas Gerais state, a region with a high accident rate. During last week, the Federal Highway Police registered 903 accidents in the state's federal roads with 50 people killed and 617 others injured.

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