In brief
At least 10 fatalities have been reported following tragic landslides in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, particularly devastating the city of Ipatinga, where the mayor has declared a state of emergency.
The Bethania neighbourhood of Ipatinga suffered significant destruction as mudslides triggered by 204mm of rain swept through on Sunday morning. Typically, the rainy season causes such calamities in neighborhoods built on steep terrain, but officials noted that the scale of this event was unexpected. Mayor Gustavo Nunes stated that preparedness was lacking due to the sudden intensity of the rainfall, leaving at least 150 residents homeless.Confirming nine deaths in Ipatinga, authorities later discovered another victim in the nearby city of Santana do Paraíso. Among the casualties were five relatives trapped under mud, while two youths managed to escape. The city’s health centre also sustained damage, leading to the transfer of patients for safety reasons, as stated by Ipatinga’s health minister, Walisson Medeiros. Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema is expected to visit the impacted areas soon, as support from neighboring cities is mobilized.
