(MENAFN) Intense rains in Rio de Janeiro state have claimed lives of more than seven individuals, authorities noted on Saturday, whereas a 4-year-old girl was saved following over 16 hours under mud.
The girl was dragged out alive in the town of Petropolis, 69 kilometers (equal to 43 miles) north of Rio. Rescue teams had to halt their work on Friday night due to dangers of new landslides in the area.
The girl's father lost his life when a house collapsed to the ground. She lived because he sheltered her with his body, members of rescue crews stated. Three additional people passed away in the same area.
"My son was a warrior, he spent all that time there and saved his little daughter,” Roberto Napoleão, the grandfather of the girl, informed reporters. "You can't imagine what it is like to lose a son. It hurts so much.”
Mayors in the state and Gov. Claudio Castro had warned civilians of possible issues for the weekend since Thursday.
Firefighters have grappled with attaining those affected by intense rains, a large number of them residents of long threatened regions. Sniffing dogs were part of the rescue attempts as well. Nearly 100 people had been rescued, authorities mentioned.
Regional authorities in Teresopolis, near Petropolis, declared that that one individual was still missing following the heavy rains.
Meteorologists stated that the heavy rains that struck Rio state are making their way near the adjacent state of Espirito Santo.
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