At least 22 people have died after heavy rains in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, local authorities said on Tuesday, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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The state's rescue service confirmed 16 deaths in the city of Juiz de Fora and six in Ubá, located approximately 110 km away.
The country's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed his condolences in a post on X. "Our task is to provide humanitarian aid, restore essential services, provide support to displaced persons, and assist in recovery," he wrote.
According to the Juiz de Fora city hall, about 440 people were forced to leave their homes due to floods and landslides, which led to the suspension of classes in municipal schools.
Specialized teams were mobilized to respond to incidents and search for missing persons, the city hall added.
The G1 agency reported that 45 people, including children, were missing in the city.
The Brazilian government declared a state of emergency in Juiz de Fora, accelerating the provision of aid and humanitarian support, the statement said.
In most of Brazil, the peak rainy season falls during the summer, from December to March, when heavy downpours, thunderstorms, floods, and landslides are common.
The Juiz de Fora city hall reported that February has been the wettest in the city's history, with rainfall already more than double the expected amount for the month.
Mayor Margarida Salomão stated on social media that the situation is "critical."
Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology on Tuesday issued a heavy rain warning for parts of 14 states, including all of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.
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