Torrential rains that have caused flooding and landslides in Brazil’s northeast Recife region since Tuesday have killed at least 79 people and left 56 missing, according to the latest official figures released on Sunday.
Pernambuco’s Civil Defense said in a statement that “as of 18:00 GMT, the death toll from the rain had reached 79,” adding that 56 people were missing. When the rain stopped, about 1,200 people, backed by helicopters and boats, resumed searching for the missing on Sunday.
The storm caused landslides on the hillsides, rivers overflowed their banks, and huge streams washed away everything in their path. Footage broadcast by local authorities on Sunday showed rescuers and volunteers clearing rubble in Jardim Monteverde, on the border between Recife and the municipality of Japuatao dos Guararapes. And in this slum area, the biggest tragedy occurred on Saturday morning when 19 people were killed in a landslide.
