January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides

After severe storms in Brazil on January 12, 2011 There came mainly in the approximately 100 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro past the mountains around Teresópolis to floods and mudslides. At least 335 people died.

Storm

In the days before the floods, heavy rainfall came down in the region. It had been the heaviest rainfall in living memory, declared inhabitants of the place Teresópolis.

Landslides and floods

Soaked hillsides and river banks broke off above the city Teresópolis and buried cars, cottages and houses. Alone there died at least 130 people.

Most violent affected by the rains and landslides was the mountain region north of Rio. The narrow gorges were there many victims undoing. Water and mud tore the poorly fortified huts of the favelas with on the slopes. Many people died because there was no means of escape in the narrow valleys.

In Nova Friburgo 97 people, including three firefighters died. In the city of Petrópolis 18 people died. In the neighboring state of São Paulo, many places were flooded after rains. There, 14 people died.

In the disaster areas in many places broke the power supply and the telephone network together.

Relief

In Teresópolis were about 800 emergency personnel of the fire brigade and civil protection in use to search for survivors. The Brazilian Navy sent two helicopters rescue teams to support. The authorities reported that more than 300 lives were lost mainly in the cities Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo.

Causes

According to a climate scientist from Rio, the region is so critically endangered because of climatic runs a corridor through the region, which extends from the south of the Amazon region to the south-east Brazil. In the corridor humidity and heat would be transported. This leads to the fact that the cloud formation would be strengthened and get it to such storms.

Reactions

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff announced to provide emergency aid equivalent to about 400 million euros for the victims of the disaster.

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