Heavy Rains in Northeast Brazil Claim at Least Six Lives

Heavy Rainfall Hits Northeastern Brazil, Causing Fatalities and Displacement

At least six people have died in heavy rainfall events in northeastern Brazil, according to authorities. The deaths occurred in the Pernambuco and Paraiba states on Saturday, following two days of rain.

In Pernambuco, flooding and landslides were reported in Recife, the state capital, resulting in at least two confirmed fatalities. Two others died in nearby Olinda. Approximately 1,500 people were displaced by the storms.

In Paraiba, the state capital, Joao Pessoa and the city of Campina Grande were among the hardest hit areas. At least two people were confirmed killed in the state, with 1,500 displaced.

The National Center for Risk and Disaster Management issued 22 emergency alerts during the rain, citing the need to raise the operational level to maximum alert due to the impacts in Pernambuco and Paraiba and weather forecast for the region.

Rain had eased on Saturday, but authorities urged continued vigilance. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has spoken with local authorities to offer support, stating that the government will continue to monitor the situation and provide necessary assistance.

A study released last year by the Brazilian Alliance for Ocean Culture found that rain disasters, including flooding and landslides, increased in Brazil from 1991 to 2023. Recent events include at least 64 fatalities in Minas Gerais state in February, and 183 fatalities in Rio Grande do Sul state in 2024. In 2022, 233 people were killed in Petropolis, while three months later, at least 130 people died in heavy rains in Recife.

Source: Al Jazeera