Brazil: Floods in Minas Gerais Leave 36 Dead
Destruction caused by rains in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Feb. 25, 2026. X/ @bnews_oficial
February 25, 2026 Hour: 9:25 am
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Torrential rains trigger landslides and severe flooding in the Brazilian state.
On Wednesday, Brazilian authorities confirmed that heavy rains battering the state of Minas Gerais have left 36 people dead and 33 missing so far.
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In the early hours of the morning, firefighters found the bodies of five people in Juiz de Fora, the municipality hardest hit by the severe storm that began Monday and continues to threaten further devastation across the region.
In Juiz de Fora, which has about half a million residents, authorities have reported 30 deaths so far and are still searching for 31 other people. The remaining victims were reported about 62 miles away in the town of Uba, where at least six people have died and two remain missing.
Six other municipalities in the region have also reported significant damage, though no additional fatalities. Security forces are currently operating on nine fronts and have rescued 208 people alive in the region.
Torrential rainfall has left a trail of destruction across this green and mountainous area of Minas Gerais state. Numerous landslides have occurred, along with severe flooding that has submerged entire neighborhoods and caused structural damage to infrastructure.
About 700 people in Juiz de Fora and Uba were forced to leave their homes. Weather forecasts paint a worrying scenario, as heavy rains are expected to continue in the coming days, increasing the risk of new landslides and flash floods.
Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema said on the eve of the latest developments that rescue teams will remain on the ground for as long as necessary. He said the priority now is to provide humanitarian aid and rescue victims, and that only afterward will authorities begin to consider rebuilding the area, at which point he hopes to count on the collaboration of the federal government.
Meanwhile, President Lula da Silva announced that he will release US$155 for each person left homeless by the rains. He is also negotiating to advance a series of social security benefits for residents of the affected area.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
