More than 79 dead in Brazil after torrential rains caused floods and landslides

Weather of Arabia - Heavy rains in northeastern Brazil have killed at least 79 people, in a death toll that can be increased, as dozens are still missing, according to civil defense officials, on Sunday, while rescuers took advantage of the lull in the rain to search for survivors. .

This disaster is the latest in a series of deadly landslides and floods caused by severe weather in Brazil.

The death toll rose steadily over the weekend, including dozens killed in landslides, as torrential rains caused rivers to overflow and mudslides swept large areas, and nearly 4,000 people lost their homes.

Authorities warned that rain was expected to continue on Monday, after the storm subsided and allowed about 1,200 rescuers to resume search and rescue work using boats and helicopters, state officials said.

"Although the rains have stopped now, we expect heavy rains in the next few days," Regional Development Minister Daniel Ferreira warned during a press conference on Sunday in Recife, the capital of the hard-hit northeastern state of Pernambuco, and urged residents to take measures. protection.

Rainfall between Friday night and Saturday morning was about 70% of what was expected for the entire month of May in some parts of the Recife area.

Over the past year, hundreds of Brazilians have died in floods and landslides caused by torrential rains.

In February, more than 230 people were killed in Petropolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Another 14 people were killed last month due to floods and landslides in the state.

It is noteworthy that rainfall increases during the rainy season in Brazil due to the phenomenon of "La Nina" (the cyclic cooling of the Pacific Ocean) and because of climate change, because the hotter atmosphere contains more water vapor, global warming increases the risk and severity of floods caused by Heavy rain.

The torrential rains that hit Pernambuco, and four other states in the northeast, are the product of a seasonal phenomenon called "eastern waves", where turbulence travels from Africa to the northeastern coastal region of Brazil.

The risks of heavy rainfall in Brazil are exacerbated by the terrain and poor building standards of squatter huts in steep areas, exposing them to the risk of landslides.

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