18 Dead in Floods and Landslides Near Rio de Janeiro

Eighteen people died on Tuesday in landslides and floods caused by heavy rainfall in the tourist city of Petrópolis, near Rio de Janeiro. Rescue teams, with over 180 personnel deployed in the area located 68 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro, confirmed that 18 people have died due to landslides and flooding. The same source did not provide any information about the number of injured or potential missing persons. It was explained that "specialized search and rescue teams have been sent to bolster relief operations, supported by four-wheel-drive vehicles and boats." Images shared on social media and news outlets showed destroyed homes from landslides on the hillside and cars being swept away by the floods. The waters inundated many stores in the historic center of Petrópolis, sweeping away goods and merchandise. In less than six hours, nearly 260 millimeters of rain fell in the city, which is more than what was expected for the entire month of February, according to the meteorological agency "MetSul." The municipality of Petrópolis has declared a "state of emergency due to a natural disaster," while state governor Cláudio Castro inspected the area.