Torrential rains caused flooding and landslides in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, killing at least fourteen people, including eight children and five missing, authorities said on Saturday.
Two days of heavy rainfall hit a large swath of the Atlantic coast of this southeastern state of Brazil, six weeks after bad weather that killed 233 people in the same state. This time around, the hardest-hit areas include the resort town of Paraty, a colonial town known for its quaint cobbled streets and colorful houses.
In the Ponta Negra district, a landslide buried a mother and six of her children aged 2 to 17. A seventh child survivor was hospitalized in stable condition and four other people were hospitalized. Six other deaths, including two children, were reported in the town of Angra dos Reis, where authorities activated the stadium on high alert and declared a state of emergency after several landslides.
more rains expected
According to local media, a 38-year-old man died of electrocution in the Mesquita neighborhood while helping another person escape flooding. The search continues to find five missing persons.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on Facebook that the federal government had sent military planes to participate in rescue operations in the state of Rio, where 17.5 million people live. New rains, more and more frequent due to climate change according to experts, are expected in the coming days.
