At least 25 people have died and 43 remain missing after heavy rainfall caused devastating floods and landslides in Brazil's southeastern state of Minas Gerais, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The state fire department reported 18 fatalities in Juiz de Fora and seven in Uba, approximately 110 km (68 miles) apart. The downpours have displaced around 440 people in Juiz de Fora, where municipal schools have suspended classes.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed 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 government has declared a state of calamity in Juiz de Fora to expedite relief efforts.
Specialised teams, including 141 firefighters, have been deployed to search for the missing and respond to incidents. 'It's a precarious situation; many people are missing. But by helping each other, we'll eventually find everyone,' said firefighter Gabriel Vitor, 24, deployed to Juiz de Fora.
Juiz de Fora city hall reported this as the rainiest February on record, with rainfall more than double the monthly average. Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology issued heavy-rain alerts for parts of 14 states, including all of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.
