Every hour brings new numbers regarding the devastating rains that have resulted in death and destruction in the city of Petrópolis, located 70 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. As reported by local media this Thursday morning, 106 people, including 8 children from the population of 300,000, lost their lives last Tuesday due to the torrential rain that lasted for 6 hours. The downpour injured 400 others, displaced 439, and destroyed 80 buildings and 90 vehicles, with 35 people still missing. This summarizes what "Al Arabiya.net" has gathered from local media about the tragedy that has cast a shadow over "the Land of the Amazon," which has declared three days of mourning.
Local agencies reported yesterday that the heavy rains in Petrópolis, which is located in a mountainous region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, caused landslides that buried homes, resulting in floods that inundated streets and swept away cars and buses. The rainfall measured 237 mm in just 6 hours, exceeding the total average rainfall for February each year. This information was shared yesterday by State Governor Claudio Castro with reporters, who also noted that the situation "resembles a war zone," with cars hanging from poles and others overturned in mud and water. The authorities expect the death toll to rise based on on-ground information from rescue, firefighting, and civil defense teams, which consist of over 550 members working around the clock to save what can be saved.
In the video, depicting the initial event, we see a hillside experiencing what resembles a water explosion, leading to homes and vehicles being swept downward as terrified residents cried out for help, many of whom have succumbed to the rains, with some locals noting that the raindrop size was twice the normal amount.
