The Brazilian authorities announced Friday that the death toll from floods and landslides that resulted from heavy rains in the state of Sao Paulo (southeast) at the end of last week rose to 54, while rescue teams continue to search for about 30 people who are still missing.
Within 24 hours, more than 680 millimeters of rain fell in Sao Sebastiao, more than double the monthly average precipitation, according to local authorities.
In this coastal city of 90,000 people located about 200 kilometers from São Paulo, the country’s economic capital, a landslide swept away about fifty homes.
On Friday, the state governor’s office said, “At this time, we can confirm 54 deaths” in the disaster.
He added that the identities of 46 dead have been identified so far, “they are 16 women, 15 men and 15 children.”
Rescue teams are continuing to search for about 30 people who are still missing.
Because of the disaster, about four thousand people were forced to leave their homes.
Experts attribute these extremes to the combined effects of climate change and indiscriminate construction.
In Brazil, 9.5 million people live in areas at risk of floods or landslides, and many of them live in slums without sewage systems.
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