At least 30 people died and 39 remain missing after record rainfall triggered catastrophic floods and landslides in southeastern Brazil on Tuesday. Firefighters pulled bodies from mud-covered debris where entire houses were swept away when rivers burst their banks. Three firefighters recovered one man's body from the rubble as search and rescue operations continued throughout the affected region.
The unprecedented rainfall overwhelmed the region's infrastructure, turning streets into raging torrents and triggering deadly landslides that buried homes. Emergency crews worked frantically to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings and debris fields spanning multiple neighborhoods. Local authorities declared a state of emergency as the full scope of the destruction became apparent across several municipalities.
Rivers swelled beyond their banks with devastating force, carrying away homes and leaving entire neighborhoods submerged under several feet of water. The flooding displaced hundreds of families who lost everything in the sudden deluge that struck without warning. Rescue teams deployed helicopters and boats to reach stranded residents in the hardest-hit areas where roads remained impassable.
Meteorologists recorded rainfall totals that shattered previous records for the region, with some areas receiving a month's worth of precipitation in just 24 hours. The intense downpours caused rivers to rise at unprecedented rates, overwhelming flood control systems and early warning networks. Weather stations documented water levels that exceeded historical maximums by significant margins.
This disaster represents the latest in a series of extreme weather events battering Brazil in recent years, from Amazon droughts to unprecedented flooding. Scientists link the increasing intensity and frequency of such storms to global climate change patterns affecting South America's weather systems. The country has experienced more volatile weather as rising global temperatures disrupt traditional seasonal patterns.
Emergency responders face a race against time to locate the 39 people still unaccounted for before conditions deteriorate further. Weather forecasts show more rain expected in the coming days, potentially hampering rescue efforts and raising fears of additional flooding. Authorities urged residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate immediately as river levels remained dangerously high.