Heavy rains that began on Friday night in southeastern Brazil have caused flooding and landslides, leaving at least 23 people dead. The states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo have been the hardest hit.
Espirito Santo’s state government reported on Sunday that 15 people had died and nearly 5,000 were displaced from their homes. Rio de Janeiro authorities reported eight fatalities on Saturday.
One particularly affected area is Mimoso do Sul, a city in Espirito Santo located about 74 kilometers south of the state capital, Vitoria. Thirteen deaths were reported in Mimoso do Sul.
Rescue efforts were hampered on Friday night due to the خطر (khatar, Arabic for “danger”) of further landslides. Rescue teams were able to resume their work on Saturday afternoon.
Local authorities had warned residents of Brazil about the potential for problems throughout the weekend due to heavy rain forecast. A state of alert for heavy rain remains in effect for Espirito Santo until midnight tonight.
