Global General

129 killed in highway accidents during Brazilian carnival

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-03-08 09:59

Revelers pose before the start of the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome March 7, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

RIO DE JANEIRO -- During the first three days of carnival in Brazil, 129 people were killed in 2,619 highway accidents, which also injured 1,473 others, the Brazilian Highway Federal Police said on Monday.

The accidents only included those registered on the federal highways, but did not include those on regional roads and in urban areas.

Related readings:  Brazil's growth hits record high in 25 yrs  China vows to boost partnership with Brazil  Ronaldo to play farewell Brazil match in June  Murder rate among youths soars in Brazil

These were the highest figures recorded in recent years of the carnival, the police said in a statement.

On Sunday alone, when most travelers arrived at the places where they would enjoy the carnival, 611 accidents occurred, killing 34 people and injuring 524 others.

During the past three days, the police also inspected 25,067 vehicles and detained 152 drivers for drunken driving. The police also stopped many cars which were not under right mechanical conditions.

The worst accident, so far, was registered on Saturday when a truck crashed against a passenger bus in Santa Catarina state and killed 26 people.