Rescue teams are working on the spot to help those affected by landslides and floods after the extreme rains that occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the old imperial city, located 68 km north of Rio de Janeiro, AFP journalists confirmed. They estimate to find more fatalities under the destroyed houses.
“We will make every effort to help the victims,” tweeted the Minister of Regional Development, Rogério Marinho, shortly after shocking images of the rains circulated on social networks and the media, with houses destroyed by landslides on the hills and cars violently swept away by the current.
The mayor of Petrópolis, 68 km north of Rio de Janeiro (southeast of Brazil), decreed the “state of calamity” to deal with the emergency, which caused “a high number of incidents and fatalities,” he said in a statement.
Of the 95 calls received by firefighters, 80 were for landslides, he added.
Supermarkets, appliance houses and other businesses were completely invaded by the water, which dragged merchandise and completely submerged the streets of the historic center of the city, according to videos posted on social networks.
Some “120 firefighters are working and another 60 will travel to Petrópolis,” the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, who was on his way to provide support, reported on his Twitter account.
In less than six hours, some parts of the city received up to 260 millimeters of rain.a volume higher than expected for the entire month of February, according to the MetSul weather agency.
On an official visit to Russia, President Jair Bolsonaro He also pointed out on Twitter that he was aware of “the tragedy” and directed his ministers to provide “immediate help to the victims.”
“May God comfort the families of the victims,” added the president.
The mayor’s office specified that the downpour that caused the disturbances “has already moved away from the city,” but warned that there is a forecast of new “light to moderate” rains in the coming hours.
Petrópolis, summer resort of the former Brazilian Imperial Court, is a tourist town that attracts a large number of visitors in search of history, nature walks and a milder climate compared to coastal Rio de Janeiro, due to its elevation .
In January 2011, more than 900 people died in the mountainous region of Rio state due to heavy rains, which caused floods and landslides in a vast area, including Petrópolis and its neighbors Nova Friburgo, Itaipava and Teresópolis.
Source: Ambito
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