ATS
At least five people have died in floods caused by further torrential rains in the Brazilian city of Petropolis, local authorities said on Monday. Precipitation had already killed 233 people there a month ago.
“At the moment, we have found five bodies,” said firefighters in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Four people are missing.
According to local authorities, it rained in a few hours on Sunday evening the equivalent of the precipitation forecast for the whole of March and almost as much as a month ago.
Videos circulating on social networks showed images of streets turning into torrents washing away everything in their path, like a month ago, when the worst tragedy in the history of this city located in a mountainous region, 60 km from Rio de Janeiro.
Alert maintained
Local authorities have warned that the episode of rain could last until Tuesday. The civil defense maintained its alert to the high risk of landslides.
Thirteen assistance centers have also been opened by the town hall, taking care of 839 people. Rio state authorities have set up a crisis unit, reinforced firefighters and increased the number of emergency equipment, Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro said on his Twitter account.
Some 150 soldiers carried out rescue operations, with the support of specialized forces.
In addition, heavy rains that hit the entire state of Rio on Sunday killed two people in the seaside town of Angra dos Reis, where a tree fell on a vehicle.
According to scientists, climate change is aggravating the frequency and intensity of these extreme phenomena.
ATS