The death toll from landslides and flooding in Brazil's Minas Gerais state has risen to 64, authorities have confirmed. Heavy rains that began late Monday have caused widespread devastation in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, approximately 310 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro.
Rescue teams have been working throughout the week to assist victims and recover bodies. The Minas Gerais fire department reports that five people remain missing, while more than 5,500 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to visit the affected region on Saturday to meet with local leaders, according to a statement from the presidential palace. The federal government has authorised the release of approximately 3.4 million reais ($660,000) for reconstruction and humanitarian aid.
Brazil's national meteorology institute, Inmet, has issued warnings of a 'great danger' of further severe weather in parts of Minas Gerais, as well as in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states. Forecasters caution that these areas remain at risk of landslides, river overflows, and major flooding.
A 2023 report by Cemaden, a Brazilian government disaster monitoring agency, indicated that nearly a quarter of Juiz de Fora's population of around 540,000 live in areas identified as vulnerable to natural hazards related to land and water. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency of extreme weather events to human-caused climate change.
The disaster follows severe flooding in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state in May 2024, which resulted in at least 185 deaths and caused economic losses exceeding 10 billion reais ($1.9 billion).
