At least 18 people is dead in mudslides and flooding when torrential rain swept through a mountainous region region of State of Rio de Janeiro. the death the toll could rise as rescuers check damaged areas on Wednesday.
The state fire the ministry said Tuesday evening that more over 180 soldiers were already job in the Petropolis affected region which has seen hundreds of deaths due to heavy rains in 2011.
The ministry said that area got 25.8 centimeters (just over 10 inches) of rain in three hours Tuesday – almost as many as the previous 30 days combined.
Pictures posted on social media showed cars and homes washed away by landslides and water swirling through the city of Petropolis and neighboring districts.
Petropolis’ city room said in a statement that heavy rain left “a large number of incidents and victims” and that the rescue and recovery efforts continue.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on a trip to Russia, said on Twitter that he asked his ministers to deliver immediately support to the afflicted.
“May God console the family members of the victims,” he wrote.
