Digital Desk, Brasilia. The death toll in the city of Petropolis in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro has risen to 78, including six children.
Rio de Janeiro state governor Claudio Castro told reporters after visiting the disaster area, with 240 mm in just two hours it was the heaviest rain since 1932.
More than 50 landslides were caused by heavy rains on Tuesday in the mountainous city, located about 68 km north of Rio de Janeiro city, Xinhua news agency reported.
In 6 hours, Petropolis received more rain than expected for the whole of February, prompting the mayor’s office to declare a state of public disaster.
The city’s Civil Defense Secretary Gil Kempers said earlier at a news conference that 21 people had been rescued and the number of people missing was still unknown.
More than 500 trucks have started reaching Petropolis with donations for evacuation.
Meanwhile, the city has received warnings of more rain on Thursday and Friday amid the rainy season in the southeastern region of Brazil.
(IANS)