Heavy rains and mudslides kill dozens in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro
At least 94 people have died in the historic Brazilian mountain town of Petropolis, local government officials said on Wednesday, after torrential rains triggered mudslides that buried homes, flooded streets and swept away cars and buses.
Nestled in the hills above Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis, or “Imperial City,” was the summer retreat of Brazil’s kings in the 19th century. On Wednesday, there was little evidence of its royal charm, after floods ravaged its elegant streets and destroyed its Germanic buildings. Rainfall on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of February.
Hilda, a resident who refused to reveal her full name, was dumbfounded as she waited on the street near the ruins of her home she had shared with eight people.
“I lost my niece and her five-year-old daughter, who we haven’t found yet,” she said. We did not expect this tragedy. Our city is over.”
In the Morro da Officina neighborhood, up to 80 homes were damaged by landslides, according to authorities who expect the death toll to rise. The fire department and local civil defense teams were working on the site.
“It’s almost like a war,” Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro told reporters at the site. “Cars hanging on poles, overturned cars, a lot of mud and water are still standing.”
The Petropolis City Council declared three days of mourning. The displaced were transferred to schools and shelters. More than 300 people were forced to leave their homes.
“The water came very quickly and with a lot of force. My loss was 100%. Our lives were really hard with the epidemic and less movement, and this tragedy is still coming,” said store owner Henrique Pereira.
President Jair Bolsonaro, who is traveling to Russia, said on Twitter that he had asked ministers to help Petropolis and storm the victims.
“We really intend to give the mayor what we can,” Bolsonaro told reporters in Moscow, adding that he would release federal funds to help “restore traffic in the area.”
Since December, heavy rains have caused deadly floods and landslides in northeastern Brazil and São Paulo state, threatened to delay harvests in the country’s western-central region, and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in Minas Gerais. Experts say such storms are being made worse by climate change.
(France 24 with Reuters and AFP)
