Asia-Pacific

Flood mudslide kills 85 in Brazil

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-05 09:47

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's flood mudslide death toll rose to 85 and is expected to rise further as five people were still reported missing, local authorities said late on Monday.

The deaths were reported from the country's Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.

Flood mudslides claimed 72 lives in the Rio de Janeiro state alone, where the disaster hit a holiday resort on the Grande Island and hit houses at the town of Angra dos Reis on the mainland.

A gigantic mudslide hit the Sankay Inn and seven other houses on the island, and killed 29 people including four children.

Another giant mudslide hit the Morro da Carioca neighborhood at Angra dos Reis, killing 21 people including nine children.

Twelve of the 21 deceased at Angra dos Reis were from the same family.

The mudslide left at least 125 people homeless and 238 others had to be evacuated as the local authorities ruled that over 200 houses at Angra dos Reis as uninhabitable.

Mudslides killed 10 people in the Sao Paulo state and three people lost their lives to flooding in the Minas Gerais state.

Angra dos Reis mayor Tuca Jordao said that at least 100 houses had to be demolished for safety reasons and the direct loss caused by the flood mudslide was estimated to be between 200 million and 250 million reais (between $116 million and $145 million).

Government authorities and rescue workers have so far rushed 11 tons of food and 28,000 liters of bottled water to Angra dos Reis.

Over 35,000 pieces of clothing were donated by the public to the mudslide victims.