At least 94 people died in the historic Brazilian mountain town of Petropolis, local government officials said on Wednesday, after heavy rains caused mudslides that buried homes, flooded the streets, and washed away cars and buses.
Located in the hills above Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis, or the “Imperial City,” was the summer getaway of Brazil’s monarchs in the 19th century. On Wednesday, there was scant evidence of its regal charms, after the floods ravaged its elegant streets and destroyed its Germanic buildings. Rainfall on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of February.
Streets were turned into torrential rivers and houses swept away when heavy storms dumped a month's worth of rain in three hours on the scenic tourist town in the hills north of Rio de Janeiro. Rescue workers raced against the clock on Wednesday searching for any remaining survivors among mud and wreckage after devastating flash floods and landslides hit the picturesque Brazilian city of Petropolis.
The state government said at least 24 people had been rescued alive, and 35 people are still reported missing.
Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides in northeast Brazil and Sao Paulo state threatened to delay harvests in the nation’s central western region and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais.
Located in the hills above Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis, or the “Imperial City,” was the summer getaway of Brazil’s monarchs in the 19th century. On Wednesday, there was scant evidence of its regal charms, after the floods ravaged its elegant streets and destroyed its Germanic buildings. Rainfall on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of February.
Streets were turned into torrential rivers and houses swept away when heavy storms dumped a month's worth of rain in three hours on the scenic tourist town in the hills north of Rio de Janeiro. Rescue workers raced against the clock on Wednesday searching for any remaining survivors among mud and wreckage after devastating flash floods and landslides hit the picturesque Brazilian city of Petropolis.
The state government said at least 24 people had been rescued alive, and 35 people are still reported missing.
Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides in northeast Brazil and Sao Paulo state threatened to delay harvests in the nation’s central western region and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais.
