Severe rainfall in Rio de Janeiro state has resulted in the deaths of at least seven individuals, as confirmed by officials on Saturday. Meanwhile, a 4-year-old girl was rescued after being trapped under mud for over 16 hours.
The girl was successfully removed in the city of Petropolis, which is 69 kilometers (43 miles) north of Rio. Rescue operations had to be halted on Friday evening due to the risk of additional landslides in the area.
The girl’s father perished when their home collapsed. She survived as he shielded her with his body, as stated by members of the rescue teams. Three additional individuals lost their lives in the same location.
“My son was a fighter, he remained there all that time and saved his little daughter,” expressed Roberto Napoleão, the grandfather of the girl, to reporters. “You can’t fathom the pain of losing a son. It's incredibly painful.”
Since Thursday, mayors in the state and Governor Claudio Castro had been warning residents about potential issues anticipated for the weekend.
Firefighters have encountered challenges in reaching those affected by the heavy rains, many of whom reside in long-endangered areas. Sniffer dogs have also been involved in the rescue operations. Nearly 100 individuals have been rescued, authorities reported.
Local authorities in Teresopolis, near Petropolis, indicated that one person is still unaccounted for subsequent to the heavy rains.
Meteorologists have stated that the heavy rains impacting Rio state are heading towards the neighboring state of Espirito Santo.
