The death toll from floods and landslides in southeastern Brazil has risen to 30, with 39 people still missing, local authorities reported on Wednesday. The mayor of Juiz de Fora declared a state of emergency due to continuous heavy rainfall, as official figures recorded 30 deaths in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Ubá.
Authorities confirmed that 200 people have been rescued, noting more than 20 landslides, particularly in the southeastern region, following the rare flooding of the Paraibuna River. A previous toll had indicated 25 deaths and 45 missing persons. Hundreds of rescue workers and local residents have participated in search operations for victims buried under rubble and mud.
Torrential floods swept away 12 houses in a massive landslide in a neighborhood of Juiz de Fora, one of the most affected areas. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that his government has approved a state of emergency and placed the National Civil Defense on high alert.
“Our focus is on ensuring humanitarian aid, restoring essential services, providing assistance to the displaced, and supporting reconstruction efforts,” the President added. According to official statistics, this February is the rainiest month in the history of Juiz de Fora, a city with a population of approximately 540,000.
In recent years, Brazil has experienced a series of disasters linked to extreme weather phenomena, including floods, droughts, and intense heatwaves. In 2024, more than 200 people died and two million were affected by unprecedented floods in the south of the country, in one of the worst natural disasters in its history. Two years prior, floods in the city of Petrópolis, near Rio de Janeiro, claimed the lives of 241 people.
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