At least 28 people have died “
in the past 24 hours
” following heavy rains that have been falling since Tuesday in the region of Recife, capital of Pernambuco, authorities in this state in northeastern Brazil said on Saturday. .
“
In the past 24 hours, 28 deaths have been recorded
,” Civil Defense said in a statement.
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Early Saturday, 9 people perished in a "
major landslide
" in Jardim Monteverde, on the border between Recife and the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes.
Six other people were killed in another landslide in the municipality of Camaragibe.
Two died in Recife and another in Jaboatao dos Guararapes.
The latest report shows a total of 33 dead in the state since the rains began to hit the region overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.
"
Five other deaths had already occurred during Tuesday's storm
," the statement said.
The torrential rains also caused the displacement of almost a thousand people due to flooding and landslides.
Videos posted on social media show wide flooded avenues in several municipalities, collapsing houses and landslides.
Between Friday evening and Saturday morning, rainfall reached 236 millimeters in parts of the Pernambuco capital, according to the town hall.
That equates to more than 70% of the city's entire May rainfall forecast.
According to the Pernambuco water and climate agency, the situation could worsen as the rains will continue for the next twenty-four hours in the state.
