Torrential Rains in Brazil: 54 Dead and 14 Missing (Updated Toll)
Search operations resumed Thursday morning to locate 14 people still reported missing after torrential rains in southeastern Brazil, as the death toll was revised to 54.
Unprecedented downpours on Monday devastated the municipalities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, in a hilly region of the state of Minas Gerais. Victims died in floods, building collapses, mudflows, and landslides, and more than 5,000 people were forced to leave their homes.
A previous toll had reported 36 deaths.
Overnight Wednesday, additional rainfall flooded streets and triggered further landslides. According to weather forecasts, the rain is expected to continue through the weekend.
Several residents who had been forced to evacuate took advantage of a lull Thursday morning to hurriedly retrieve furniture, household appliances, mattresses, and even pets left behind, walking through mud to salvage their belongings.
In recent years, Brazil has experienced several tragedies linked to extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and intense heatwaves.
In 2024, floods struck the southern region of the country, killing more than 200 people and affecting two million residents, one of the worst natural disasters in modern Brazilian history.
In 2022, a severe storm killed 241 people in the city of Petrópolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
