Brazil floods death toll reaches 40, dozens missing
Families of those killed in devastating floods in southeastern Brazil began burying the dead as the death toll rose to at least 40 in the state of Minas Gerais.
All of the victims found so far are in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, about 310 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro. Nearly 30 people are still missing and more than 3,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes as of Wednesday morning, according to the Minas Gerais fire department.
11-year-old Bernardo Lopes Dutra was among those who lost their lives when his house collapsed due to rain.
“This is a tragedy that no one expected,” his father, Ricardo Dutra, said at the funeral in Juiz de Fora. He described Bernardo as “a boy with a big heart who touched everyone around him in his own way.” Dutra’s wife and daughter were still in the hospital.
Priest Ananias Simões, pastor of the church Dutra and his family regularly attend in Juiz de Fora, said the building had been turned into a temporary shelter.
“We are doing what we can, collecting food and water. We are in a war situation,” Simões said.
Dário Tibério, a 41-year-old truck driver, decided to leave his home with his family for fear of collapse. He took shelter in the church while waiting for the authorities to tell him that his home was safe.
“There is a danger that mud and soil will come and bury us with the debris. We have this feeling of insecurity,” he said.
The streets of Juiz de Fora, with a population of 560,000, were covered in mud as authorities feared new landslides. Life in neighboring Uba, with a population of 107 thousand, came to a standstill. Mayors said classes were suspended in both cities.
Juiz de Fora City Hall said about 600 families living in endangered areas were about to move into local schools built as shelters, and the city saw twice the rainfall expected in February. Mayor Margarida Salomão said at least 20 landslides have been reported since the heavy rain started Monday evening.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on his social media channels on Tuesday that security forces were carrying out rescue missions and providing emergency aid to people affected by the rain. He said that medical teams were sent to the area close to hills, valleys and slopes.
Scientists say that extreme weather conditions are occurring more frequently due to human-induced climate change.
