Deaths from rain and landslides near Rio de Janeiro

Heavy rain in German-immigrated Petrópolis in the mountains behind Rio leads to landslides and flooding. Over 20 people have died so far. In 2011, more than 900 people lost their lives in a storm in the region.

Flooded streets in Petrópolis, Brazil on February 15.

Lucas Mariano / Reuters

(dpa)

After heavy rain and landslides, the death toll in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro has risen to at least 23. This was reported by Brazilian television on Tuesday evening (February 15). According to the report, the bodies were found after the level in the flooded city center of Petrópolis dropped.

The news portal “G1” had previously reported at least five dead and at least three buried people, citing the fire department. The city was flooded in several places and cars were swept away.

The governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro, appeared at a meeting in Petrópolis in the mountains behind Rio, which is dominated by German immigrants, to determine the measures of the state government, as stated in a statement.

In the past few weeks, at least ten people have died from landslides and floods in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. There was also a tragedy when a rock face fell on a tourist boat on Furnas Dam, killing ten people. It was unclear whether the heavy rain had also contributed to the loosening of a large part of the rock.

The state of Bahia, which borders Minas Gerais to the north-east, had previously experienced the worst flooding in more than 30 years. More than 900 people died in a storm in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro in 2011. It was considered the worst storm disaster in the country’s history, and Petrópolis was also particularly affected.

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