Brazil mudslide death toll reaches 117; over 100 missing

Sao Paulo: The death toll rose to 117, with at least 116 people still missing, due to deadly mudslides and floods caused by heavy rains in the Brazilian city of Petropolis, local authorities reported Thursday.  

As per Rio de Janeiro civil defense authorities, at least 400 firefighters are working with Army personnel in search for survivors, after a large part of Petropolis was destroyed by landslides and floods. 

Reportedly, over 500 families were evacuated, while the power grid and drinking water supply were also affected.

Governor of Rio de Janeiro state Claudio Castro likened the conditions to a “war situation,” while the Petropolis mayor’s office decreed a state of public disaster and issued an alert to the population about the possibility of more downpours in the next 48 hours.

In the meantime, the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation indicated that the risks of new landslides were “very high,” since the intense rains raised the level of moisture in the soil, which in turn generates the possibility of new large-scale precipitation. 

Alarms rang out across the Brazilian city on Thursday, warning of more heavy rain to come.

The rescue mission has been temporarily called off and some people, fearing more destruction, are fleeing the city.

Moreover, the rainfall in Petrópolis was the heaviest in nearly a century.