Raging river currents and muddied waters yesterday foiled teams searching for the bodies of at least 70 people feared dead after a bridge collapsed in northern Portugal.
The teams have so far been able to recover only one body and, with meteorologists predicting worse weather to come, they are likely to face increasing obstacles in their search for victims.
The muddied torrents prevented Portuguese navy divers from going underwater and forced rescuers to resort to sonar equipment in their search for the bodies.
"The current has reached 14 knots making any diving operation impossible," a frustrated rescuer said.
Divers and fire services were hoping to begin retrieving the bodies of those thought to have died on Sunday when a bus and up to three cars plunged from the collapsed bridge into the swollen Douro river below.
The report that a possible third car had been involved in the tragedy emerged yesterday, as emergency services announced that someone visiting friends in Castelo de Paiva had failed to return home late on Sunday.
And despite the leading interior ministry official, Mr Carlos Zorrinho, being present at the scene, and the resignation of Infrastructure Minister Jorge Coelho on Monday, the government is coming under increasing pressure over the accident.
The tragedy - which local authorities say was an accident waiting to happen - has shaken the socialist government, with the Prime Minister, Mr Antonio Guterres, facing criticism for the country's fraying social and economic fabric.
Mr Guterres visited the scene to oversee rescue efforts on Monday only to be greeted with boos and cries of "murderer". He had earlier declared yesterday and today days of national mourning.
"It is a tragedy that leaves us stunned," he said, appealing for a dignified response and promising government aid for the victims' families.
And although Mr Coelho took full responsibility for the collapse of the 115-year-old bridge, the political row has mounted with local residents and the mayor of Castelo de Paiva saying they had repeatedly warned the authorities about the poor condition of the bridge.
Leading articles in several newspapers blamed authorities for the tragedy. The Diario Economico attacked central government for failing to listen to warnings from the mayor of Castelo de Paiva, adding that too much in Portugal was left to chance.