Extreme rain causes landslides and flooding in a mountainous region near Brazil’s capital Rio de Janeiro. More than 20 people die.
Rio de Janeiro – Heavy rains have triggered a landslide near the Brazilian city of Petrópolis behind Rio de Janeiro. The number of dead has risen to at least 23 in the mountain region shaped by German immigrants. This was reported by Brazilian television on Tuesday evening (local time). The bodies were found after the water level dropped in the flooded city center of Petrópolis.
“In Moscow I learned about the tragedy that happened in Petrópolis,” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter. Bolsonaro traveled to Russia on Tuesday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
Storm disaster in Brazil: Landslides claim more than 20 lives
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, had appeared at a meeting in Petrópolis in the mountains behind Rio to determine the state government’s measures, according to a statement. The city is also a popular vacation spot for Rio residents due to its location and cool climate during the hot summer months in the southern hemisphere.
In recent weeks, landslides and flooding have claimed at least ten lives in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. There was also tragedy when a rock face fell on a tourist boat on Furnas Dam. Ten people lost their lives. However, it was unclear whether the heavy rain had also contributed to the loosening of a large part of the rock.
The state of Bahia in Brazil had previously experienced the worst flooding in more than 30 years. However, storm disasters are not uncommon in Brazil: more than 900 people lost their lives in a storm disaster 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. (as with dpa)
