At Least 68 Dead as Floods Batter Brazil’s Minas Gerais

(MENAFN) Devastating floods unleashed by days of relentless rainfall across Brazil's Minas Gerais state have claimed at least 68 lives since Monday, authorities confirmed Saturday, as rescue teams pressed on through treacherous conditions in search of survivors still unaccounted for.

The Minas Gerais State Fire Department announced the recovery of additional bodies following catastrophic flooding that tore through the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba — with 62 fatalities recorded in Juiz de Fora alone and six more in Uba.

Authorities stressed that search operations remain active for five missing residents, as landslides triggered by the relentless downpours brought down multiple homes across affected areas.

The threat is far from over. The National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (Cemaden) warned that heavy rainfall is forecast to persist, significantly elevating the risk of renewed flooding and flash floods across already battered communities.

A large-scale emergency response is now underway. State and federal authorities have mobilized civil defense teams, security forces, and medical personnel to provide relief to displaced and affected residents throughout the disaster zone.

The administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had previously announced fresh aid packages earmarked for affected municipalities, aimed at supporting the thousands left homeless by the floods.

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