Death toll from Brazil mudslides climbs to 223
April 11th, 2010 - 12:37 pm ICT by IANSRio de Janeiro, April 11 (IANS/EFE) The number of deaths from mudslides in Rio de Janeiro state has climbed to 223, even as emergency workers continued to search for more bodies buried under mud and rocks.
Four bodies were found Saturday under piles of earth and rubbish that rolled down the hillside and destroyed some 50 houses in Morro do Bumba town. The latest fatalities brought to 31 the number of confirmed deaths in that area, which is particularly unstable because it was built on top of an old garbage dump, officials said.
Dozens of mudslides have hit hillsides in the Rio metropolitan area since Monday, when the torrential rains that triggered the natural disasters began.
Based on estimates by firefighters, authorities said 100-150 bodies could still be buried under tonnes of earth, while rescue workers were battling nausea stemming from their exposure to the methane gas being given off by decomposing garbage.
The intermittent downpour in the region, meanwhile, gave way to a warm sun Saturday which facilitated the work of the rescue teams.
According to firefighters, of the 223 deaths from mudslides over the past five days, 140 have occurred in Niteroi, 63 in Rio de Janeiro, 16 in Sao Gonzalo and the other four in Petropolis, Nilopolis, Paracambi and Mage cities.
The situation is “calamitous” and more than 200 families will be immediately relocated because of the danger of another deadly mudslide, Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral said Saturday.
Over 50,000 people have been affected by the torrential rains, flooding and mudslides throughout Rio de Janeiro state.
–IANS/EFE
pm/dg
- Toll from Brazil mudslides rises to 225 - Apr 12, 2010
- Heavy rains kill 93 in Brazil - Apr 07, 2010
- Death toll in Brazil rains rises to 549 - Jan 16, 2011
- Brazil rains: Death toll rises to 610 (Lead) - Jan 16, 2011
- Brazil mudslides: Toll reaches 860 - Feb 02, 2011
- Heavy rains leave 250 dead in Brazil - Jan 13, 2011
- Brazil mudslides: Death toll rises to 762 - Jan 22, 2011
- 665 dead in Brazil mudslides - Jan 18, 2011
- Search resumes for missing as toll hits 102 in Brazil rains - Apr 08, 2010
- Brazil mudslides toll rises to 85 - Jan 05, 2010
- Brazil mudslides: Death toll rises to 727 - Jan 20, 2011
- Brazil mudslides: Toll rises to 869 - Feb 03, 2011
- Eight buried alive as mudslide hits bus - Sep 05, 2010
- Toll in Guatemala rains rises to 45 - Sep 08, 2010
- Brazil rains: 8,000 left homeless - Mar 14, 2011
Tags: brazil mudslides, death toll, downpour, emergency workers, firefighters, garbage dump, gonzalo, hillside, mage, methane gas, metropolitan area, mudslide, natural disasters, niteroi, piles, rio de janeiro, rubbish, sergio cabral, torrential rains, warm sun