Rescuers search for missing after storm deluge kills 30 in Brazil

"Firemen have pulled a man's body from the mud amid the rubble of houses swept away in a landslide in southeastern Brazil, where 30 people have died and another 39 are still missing after torrential rain. A river burst its banks and streets became raging currents of brown water in the state of Minas Gerais after the overnight downpour in a region that has seen record rainfall this month."

"In a hillside neighbourhood of Juiz de Fora, 12 houses were swept away in a massive landslide, Major Demetrius Goulart of the fire brigade told AFP. Many people were inside their homes at night when it was raining, he said. Juiz de Fora's mayor, Margarida Salomao, declared a state of emergency."

"Salomao said her municipality of a little over half a million people was experiencing its wettest February on record, with 584mm of accumulated rainfall. An estimated 3,000 people had to leave their homes, the mayor's office reported. Some neighbourhoods are isolated, with at least 20 landslides, Salomao said, calling the situation extreme."

Torrential overnight rain in Minas Gerais, Brazil triggered severe flooding and landslides, resulting in 30 deaths and 39 missing persons. In the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, a river burst its banks and streets became raging currents of brown water. A massive landslide in a hillside neighborhood of Juiz de Fora destroyed 12 houses, with residents trapped inside during the night. Over 200 people were rescued by firefighters and sniffer dogs searching through debris. The region experienced record February rainfall of 584mm, forcing approximately 3,000 people to evacuate their homes. At least 20 landslides isolated several neighborhoods. A state of emergency was declared, with authorities suspending school classes and focusing on humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts.

Read at www.aljazeera.com