In southeastern Brazil, torrential downpours have unleashed a deadly mix of floods and landslides.
At least 23 people are dead and 47 missing in the state of Minas Gerais.
Streets became raging torrents, with residents clinging to electricity poles or waving for help from windows.
Juiz de Fora bore the brunt, reporting 16 deaths and 43 missing, while nearby Uba recorded seven dead and four missing.
Some neighborhoods have been cut off entirely, with at least 20 landslides making the situation “extreme,” according to Mayor Margarida Salomao.
Sniffer dogs combed through mud and debris, joined by desperate families searching for loved ones.
Valtencir Coutinho shared his anguish on TV Globo, still hoping to find his six-year-old daughter Sophia alive: “We are fighting for that,” he said.
Floods Displace Hundreds
The Paraibuna River overflowed, causing buildings to collapse and forcing 440 residents from their homes.
“Nobody wants to stay here,” said local restaurant owner Angelica Rezende Moreira.
“We’re asking for help from both state and federal governments.”
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has placed the national civil defense on high alert.
He pledged aid, temporary shelter, and reconstruction support.
Salomao noted this February set a record—584 millimeters of rain in just weeks.
As waters rise and families pray for safety, the disaster is a stark reminder.
Nature doesn’t negotiate, and when it hits, communities are left scrambling to survive.
