The number of dead continues to climb as firefighters and volunteers dig through the mud for survivors of devastating landslides in southeastern Brazil.
An overnight downpour in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais caused the already rain-swollen Paraibuna River to burst its banks, turning streets in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Ubá into raging currents of muddy water.
The state fire brigade reported flooding and landslides, while images on social media show buildings collapsing. One hillside neighbourhood in Juiz de Fora saw a dozen houses swept away in a “massive landslide,” Major Demetrius Goulart of the fire brigade told AFP.
At least 40 people have died, according to the latest figures from Agência Brazil. In Juiz de Fora, 34 people are dead and 25 missing, while six are dead and two missing in Ubá. More than 200 people have been rescued so far, as firefighters with search dogs and specialised equipment continue to dig through the debris.
Locals armed with shovels joined the search. “When I dug up children’s belongings – balloons, teddy bears – it broke my heart,” Atila Mauro, a 33-year-old bricklayer, told the Guardian. “I’m a father too … I’m trying to help however I can.”
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Many felt renewed hope after a young boy was found alive, but Paulo Roberto Bermudes Rezende, a state civil defence coordinator, warned “the longer it goes on, the slimmer the chances of finding survivors become.”
Rain continues to fall. Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology has issued a high-danger alert through 27 February for the Zona da Mata region, the worst affected by the storms since Monday. Rainfall is expected to exceed 60 millimetres per hour, contributing to high risk of major flooding, overflowing rivers and large landslides.
Margarida Salomão, mayor of Juiz de Fora, said the city is experiencing its wettest February on record. Accumulated rainfall of 584 millimetres amounts to well over twice the average for the month. Some neighbourhoods were isolated, with at least 20 landslides, Salomão said, adding that the situation was “extreme”.
With a population just over 500,000, some 3,000 residents of Juiz de Fora are now homeless and 400 displaced. Ubá has 26 homeless people and 178 displaced.
Deadly extreme weather events have become increasingly common in Brazil in recent years, including flood events in the south in 2022 and 2024 that claimed hundreds of lives and endangered millions. Experts link the trend to climate change.
