disasters
Death toll in landslides near Rio rises to 137
Rescue workers search for survivors and victims of deadly mudslides in Petrópolis. Photo: Silvia Izquierdo/AP/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The weather in Petrópolis is unsettled, making salvage operations difficult. After landslides and floods, the death toll continues to rise.
After landslides and floods north of the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, the death toll has risen to 137.
27 minors were among the dead, the news portal G1 reported on Saturday, citing the forensic institute of the city of Petrópolis. Another 213 people were still missing. Almost 1000 people became homeless.
Heavy and persistent rain showers have been falling in the region for days. According to the weather station Climatempo, on Tuesday alone it rained more in six hours than had been expected for the whole month of February. Slopes slid, streets were flooded, cars were swept away by the water masses. The unstable weather still hampered the salvage work on Saturday.