MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Heavy rains leave at least 28 dead and dozens missing in Brazil’s Minas Gerais

Authorities said the disaster combined intense rainfall over a short period with soils already saturated by earlier precipitation

Heavy rains and landslides in southeastern Brazil have killed at least 28 people and left more than 40 missing, with the worst impact reported in the state of Minas Gerais, according to local authorities and rescue teams.

Juiz de Fora was the hardest-hit city, accounting for most of the deaths and a high number of slope failures in residential areas, with homes buried by mud. In Ubá, roughly 100 km away, additional fatalities were confirmed and several people were reported unaccounted for.

Juiz de Fora Mayor Margarida Salomão declared a state of public calamity to speed up access to resources and assistance as firefighters and civil defense workers continued search operations. Emergency crews said work was proceeding cautiously amid unstable ground and the risk of further landslides.

Authorities said the disaster combined intense rainfall over a short period with soils already saturated by earlier precipitation. Juiz de Fora recorded its rainiest February on record, with totals far above the monthly average, sharply increasing the likelihood of flooding and hillside collapses.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated to temporary shelters, while classes were suspended and transport disruptions and road closures were reported due to flooding. Brazil’s national meteorology institute kept heavy-rain alerts in place for the mountainous region.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offered condolences and said the federal government would support affected communities, as security forces and rescue teams reinforced deployments in the worst-hit areas.

Deadly floods and landslides are a recurring risk during Brazil’s austral summer, particularly in densely populated urban areas exposed to slope instability and drainage constraints, often leaving severe damage to homes and infrastructure.