By Karuna Thapa
Kathmandu, February 22, 2022
According to local officials, the death toll from floods and landslides triggered by severe rains in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro has risen to 176 since last week.
After flash floods ripped through the hamlet of Petropolis, 68 kilometers north of Rio de
Janeiro, at least 100 people are still missing. Rescue teams are searching for the victims at all hours of the day and night, and 24 people have been rescued so far.
The region’s heaviest rainfall was recorded on February 15. There have been several strong rainstorms since then. On Monday, the National Institute of Meteorology issued a forecast for rain throughout the day.
The current death toll is at an all-time high in the city’s history. In 1988, 171 individuals died as a result of severe torrential rainfall.
On Tuesday, it rained for the seventh day in a row. Authorities estimate that tens of thousands of people have been impacted. Petopolis was the hardest impacted, according to rescuers.
It has had the most rain since 1932. The rains have wreaked havoc on human and non-human property.
Hundreds of people were sheltered at most schools after the floods ruined dozens of homes.
Climate change, according to experts, is causing a significant increase in rainfall.
