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The torrential rains began Monday in the cities of Juiz de Fora
and Uba, about 310 kilometers (192 miles) north of Rio de
Janeiro, forcing about 440 residents to evacuate their homes.
Minas Gerais' fire department says it is searching for 43 people
who went missing since late Monday. A video shared by the
department showed flooded streets in Juiz de Fora and Uba, where
a river veered off its course.
Officials have warned residents to stay away from areas that
could be prone to mudslides.
Juiz de Fora is a city of 560,000 residents, while neighboring
Uba has 107,000, according to Brazil's statistics agency.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on his social
media channels that security forces are working on the rescue
and providing immediate assistance to the population affected by
the rain.
Brazil's meteorology institute Inmet said in a statement that
more rain is forecast for the region, which lies close to hills,
valleys and slopes.
Juiz de Fora City Hall said in a statement the city experienced
double the rain expected for February. Mayor Margarida Salomão
said earlier at least 20 landslides were reported.
Firefighter Demetrius Bastos Goulart, 47, said rescue efforts
will be slow and lengthy. “It is a high volume (of mud) in the
landslides, we have to work with a lot of precision to avoid any
damage to potential victims,” Goulard told The Associated Press.
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Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.
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