ALBAWABA- At least 23 people have died after torrential rains unleashed severe flooding and landslides in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, authorities said Tuesday, as rescue teams continued searching for dozens of missing residents.
The heaviest toll was recorded in Juiz de Fora, where 16 fatalities were confirmed. Six others died in the nearby city of Ubá, about 110 kilometers away. Officials said approximately 45 people, including children, remain unaccounted for.
Emergency crews are combing through debris in hillside neighborhoods such as Morro do Cristo in Juiz de Fora, where saturated slopes collapsed onto homes. Nearly 440 residents have been displaced as rivers burst their banks, streets were submerged, and buildings were damaged. In Ubá, floodwaters swept through a funeral home, carrying away caskets.
Local authorities declared a state of public calamity in Juiz de Fora, suspended school classes, and appealed for donations of drinking water, food, and hygiene supplies.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the federal government would provide humanitarian aid and support reconstruction efforts, while Romeu Zema expressed solidarity with affected families.
Officials said this has been the rainiest February on record in Juiz de Fora, with precipitation exceeding more than double the historical monthly average. The deluge comes during Brazil’s peak summer rainy season, which runs from December to March and frequently brings flooding to vulnerable urban areas built along steep hillsides and riverbanks.
Brazil’s national meteorological institute has issued heavy rain alerts for 14 states, including all of Minas Gerais and neighboring Rio de Janeiro, warning of heightened risks in low-lying areas and near unstable slopes.
The latest disaster follows a string of extreme weather events in Brazil’s southeast this month. Earlier in February, landslides in Minas Gerais killed six people, while heavy rains flooded several communities in Rio de Janeiro ahead of Carnival celebrations.
