Brazil mudslides: Death toll climbs to 58 as photos capture destruction from Rio de Janeiro floods
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At least 58 people have died after torrential rains caused catastrophic mudslides in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
The city of Petropolis bore the brunt of the damage from the floods after more than 10 inches of rain (25.8cm) fell over the mountainous region in the span of three hours on Tuesday.
Officials have warned the death toll could climb dramatically as search and rescue crews continue digging through the wreckage.
Stunning images showed entire homes being swept away by rivers of mud that tore through communities knocking down everything in their wake.
“It was like an avalanche, it fell all at once. I’ve never seen anything like it,” on resident told the Associated Press.
“Every neighbor has lost a loved one, has lost two, three, four members of the same family, kids.”
Governor Claudio Castro said he is working with other localities to bring in as much rescue equipment as possible.
What we know so far
The death toll from mudslides that swept through Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state rose to 58 on Wednesday as search crews continued sifting through the wreckage.
The Independent’s Louise Boyle explains what we know so far:
Mudslides in Rio De Janeiro state, Brazil kill at least 34 people
The city of Petropolis was slammed by a deluge on Tuesday
Harrowing photos of the wreckage
The devastation caused by Tuesday’s flood has been captured in heart-wrenching photos, showing survivors picking through mud and debris in search of their belongings.
The damage was particularly acute in the city of Petropolis, where a river of mud took down everything in its path.
Landslides also impact Guatemala
Further north, catastrophic landslides also impacted a region of Guatemala on Wednesday after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake.
Two people were killed, according to Reuters. The tremor led some buildings to partially collapse and power cuts. The quake also triggered landslides that left roads covered in rubble and impassable in places.
The earthquake struck close to the town of Tiquisate, around 80 miles from the country’s capital Guatemala City, on Wednesday at around 1.30am. Tremors could be felt as far away as Mexico.
The Independent has more below.
Two dead in Guatemala as 6.2-magnitude earthquake causes landslides
Two people have died in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Guatemala.
Landslides also impact Guatemala
Further north, catastrophic landslides also impacted a region of Guatemala on Wednesday after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake.
Two people were killed, according to Reuters. The tremor led some buildings to partially collapse and power cuts. The quake also triggered landslides that left roads covered in rubble and impassable in places.
The earthquake struck close to the town of Tiquisate, around 80 miles from the country’s capital Guatemala City, on Wednesday at around 1.30am. Tremors could be felt as far away as Mexico.
The Independent has more below.
Two dead in Guatemala as 6.2-magnitude earthquake causes landslides
Two people have died in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Guatemala.
The climate crisis is causing a rise in extreme rainfall events in southeastern states of Brazil
The south-eastern states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte have seen a rise in extreme rainfall events over the last 30 years which are linked to the climate crisis.
The mountainous areas of Brazil are vulnerable to the rise in precipitation which can destabilize steep inclines and cause landslides.
11 years ago, another tragedy
In January 2011, heavy flooding led to torrents of mud pouring through hillside towns in mountainous Rio de Janeiro state, causing at least 903 deaths.
The fatalities, along with many more injuries, happened in the cities of Nova Friburgo, Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Bom Jardim, Sumidouro and São José do Vale do Rio Preto.
Over 24 hours, a month’s worth of rain fell in the region, causing the destruction of nearly 3,000 homes and cutting off electricity, running water and phone lines.
11 years ago, another tragedy
In January 2011, heavy flooding led to torrents of mud pouring through hillside towns in mountainous Rio de Janeiro state, causing at least 903 deaths.
The fatalities, along with many more injuries, happened in the cities of Nova Friburgo, Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Bom Jardim, Sumidouro and São José do Vale do Rio Preto.
Over 24 hours, a month’s worth of rain fell in the region, causing the destruction of nearly 3,000 homes and cutting off electricity, running water and phone lines.
Aerial views emerge of the mudslide devastation
Aerial views emerge of the mudslide devastation
Heavy rains led to landslides and flooding in São Paulo last month
At least 19 people were killed in January, including seven children, in landslides and flooding from heavy rains in Sao Paulo state.
According to authorities, some 500 families were left homeless across the state following the disaster.
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