Brazil flood death toll rises to 482, more feared

Sergio Queiroz - 

Rescue workers dug for survivors on Thursday and struggled to reach areas cut off by floods and landslides that have killed at least 482 people in one of Brazil's deadliest natural disasters in decades.

Torrents of mud and water set off by heavy rains left a trail of destruction through the mountainous Serrana region near Rio de Janeiro, toppling houses, buckling roads and burying entire families as they slept.

"It's like an earthquake struck some areas," said Jorge Mario, the mayor of Teresopolis, where more than 200 people were killed and scores more are feared to be dead.

"The death toll is going to climb a lot. There are a lot of people buried who can't get help because rescue teams can't get there," Mario said, adding that three of the town's neighbourhoods were destroyed by the flooding.

Hillsides and riverbanks in the area, about 60 miles (100 km) north of Rio, collapsed after the equivalent of a month's rain fell in 24 hours from Tuesday night.

More heavy rain is forecast, complicating rescue efforts and raising the risk of further mudslides.

The homes of rich and poor alike were swept away in and around Teresopolis and other towns, likely causing billions of dollars in damage. But the brunt of the disaster was borne by poorer rural residents in houses built in risky areas without formal planning permission.

The floods have not affected Brazil's main export crops -- soy, sugar cane, oranges and coffee -- but could push up local food prices further as the small Serrana region is an important producer of fruit and vegetables for the Rio area.

Rio, famed for its beaches and Carnival, will co-host soccer's World Cup in 2014 and host the Olympics in 2016.

Rescuers tried to haul residents from raging floodwaters and went through the ruins of homes in search of survivors, often finding only corpses.

One success came when a 6-month-old baby was rescued from the rubble of a house, drawing thunderous cheers from residents.

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Photo Bruno Domingos

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