Ten people, including five children, were killed when a car plunged into a lake near Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian officials said on Sunday.

The tragedy occurred on Saturday evening in the municipality of Barra Mansa, some 85 miles (140 kilometers) from Rio.

"The victims were already deceased when they were recovered from the vehicle," the government of the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil said in a statement.

Around 30 firefighters and two divers were deployed to recover the bodies.

Local authorities have described the event as an accident and police are investigating the circumstances.

The Rio region was hit by heavy rainfall on Saturday, which flooded numerous streets, including those in tourist areas such as Copacabana.

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