Heavy rainfall has tragically killed at least 25 people in Brazil’s southeastern state of Minas Gerais, with 43 individuals still unaccounted for, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The state fire department reported 18 fatalities in Juiz de Fora and seven in Uba, some 110 km (68 miles) distant.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva offered his condolences on X, stating: “Our focus is to ensure humanitarian assistance, the restoration of basic services, support for displaced people, and aid for reconstruction.”
The downpours have caused extensive flooding and landslides, displacing approximately 440 people in Juiz de Fora, where municipal schools have also suspended classes.
Specialized teams have mobilized to respond to incidents and search for missing people, it added. The state fire department said 141 officials – including 113 in Juiz de Fora and 28 in Uba – were deployed.
The department reported that 40 people were missing in Juiz de Fora, with another three people missing in Uba.
“It’s a precarious situation; many people are missing. But by helping each other, we’ll eventually find everyone,” Gabriel Vitor, a 24-year-old state firefighter deployed to Juiz de Fora, said.
Public calamity
Brazil’s government has recognized a state of calamity in Juiz de Fora, speeding up relief and humanitarian aid, it said in a statement.
Much of Brazil enters the peak of its rainy season during summer, from December to March, bringing frequent intense downpours, thunderstorms, flooding and mudslides.
“It was terrible; words can’t describe how sad it is. Just ask God to find those who survived and to perform a miracle,” said Jaqueline Teixeira, a 45-year-old Juiz de Fora resident.
The Juiz de Fora city hall said this has been the rainiest February in the city’s history, with rainfall already more than double the amount expected for the month.
Mayor Margarida Salomao said in a statement on social media that the situation was “critical.”
Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology on Tuesday issued heavy‑rain alerts for parts of 14 states, including the entire area of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.
