ESTREITO, Brazil (Reuters) – Brazilian authorities and authorities are assessing on Tuesday the risk of water pollution after trucks carrying sulfuric acid and agricultural pesticides fell into a river on Sunday from a dangerous bridge.
The center of the 533-meter (583-yard) bridge connecting the cities of Estreito in Maranhao province and Aguiarnopolis in Tocantins province gave way as traffic flowed over the Tocantins River on Sunday afternoon.
The government of the state of Maranhao and the fire department of Tocantins confirmed the death of three people in separate reports on Tuesday, raising the death toll to four people, and more than 10 people are still missing.
Rescuers suspended their efforts on Sunday after discovering that trucks carrying sulfuric acid had fallen into the river.
“We are waiting for some centers that will collect and analyze the water so that we, with twenty-five divers, can dive and extract the victims from the bed of the Tocantins river,” said Colonel Magnum Coelho of the fire department in Maranhao.
According to the Brazilian water authority ANA, three trucks carrying 76 metric tons of sulfuric acid and 25,000 liters of agricultural pesticides fell into the river.
In a statement Monday evening, the agency said it was monitoring the risk of infection with the environment secretary of Maranhao, and said water samples would be collected from the Tocantins River.
It was not immediately clear if chemicals were leaking, and if so how much.
“Although we do not have the results of the final analysis on the pollution, the Ministry of Environment has identified that the pH of the water is normal,” the Governor of the state of Maranhao Carlos Brandao told the TV station CNN Brasil on Monday.
State and federal authorities have told cities that may be affected by the event to avoid collecting water in the Tocantins River.