Brazilian Floods Claim 46 Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Efforts

Emergency Response Ongoing in Flood-affected Areas of Brazil

Authorities in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil have confirmed 46 fatalities due to recent floods, with an additional 21 individuals still unaccounted for. The state fire department released the updated figure on Wednesday.

The majority of deaths occurred in Juiz de Fora, with 40 reported, followed by six in Uba. Approximately 3,600 residents have been displaced from the area as emergency workers continue their search operations.

Local resident Josiane Aparecida expressed her family’s desperation following a landslide that claimed the lives of her aunt and cousin. Her cousin’s boyfriend and two children, aged six and nine, remain missing. “We have hope, but it’s difficult to find them,” she stated.

Torrential rains in southern Brazil led to waterways overflowing their banks, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The death toll includes an 11-year-old boy named Bernardo Lopes Dutra.

Firefighters have indicated that those still missing are unlikely to be found alive. Residents have expressed frustration with the lack of support from public authorities during this crisis.

At least 20 landslides have occurred in Juiz de Fora since the rain began on Monday, according to Mayor Margarida Salomao. Brazilian meteorological authorities have warned that further heavy rain is expected in the coming days.

Climate change has been linked to an increase in extreme weather events, including flooding. Peru has also declared a state of emergency due to heavy rain and flooding affecting around half of its districts.

Source: Al Jazeera