Brazil: Heavy rain in Rio, many dead

Rio de Janeiro, April 03: At least 14 people have been killed in floods and landslides in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, authorities said on Sunday.

The coastal towns and cities across Rio State have been inundated by heavy rains this weekend, with densely populated areas such as the state’s Baixada Flumenes.

Emergency rescue teams have answered nearly 850 calls for help in the last 24 hours and about 144 people have been safely evacuated in the affected areas, officials said.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro said he had sent military aircraft to help with the rescue operation in the affected areas.

Alexandre Lucas, Secretary of Civil Defense and Protection, was sent to the state of 17.5 million people.

Information available so far:

Heavy rains have been pouring in since Friday, turning the city’s streets into rivers, and the car and bike are floating.

 

Rio City is inundated, but other places, such as Parrati, a beautiful coastal town along with the state of Rio, and Angra dos Reis, the coastal city has been hit by severe rainfall.

-O Governo Federal, por meio do @mdregional_br segue apoiando o Rio de Janeiro, mais uma vez afetado por fortes chuvas nas últimas horas.

– Secretário nacional de Proteção e Defesa Civil, coronel Alexandre Lucas, está em deslocamento para as regiões mais atingidas.

– Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) April 2, 2022

Paraty received 322 mm (12.68 inches) of rain in one day, with an average of six months of rain.

At least seven people, including children, have died in Paraty, local authorities said.

Officials added that the roads were covered with mud and the entire neighborhood was without electricity.

Many 12 families are also homeless.

Emergency has been declared in the tourist destination and heavy rains are expected in the coming days.

In the nearby coastal city of Angra dos Reis, which is also a tourist destination, officials declared a “maximum” warning after landslides destroyed homes.

Officers said the Angra dos Reis received 655mm (26 inches) of rain in 48 hours.

He said this kind of rainfall was “never recorded in the municipality.”

Official statistics show that at least six people have died in the city.

Deadly rain in Brazil
Hundreds of people have died in Brazil since December due to severe rainfall and flooding and mudslides, especially in the hilly communities.

Officials said on March 23 that the deadly landslides in the Petropolis area of ​​Rio state recently killed about 240 people in February. (Reuters, AFP)