Landslides kill at least 10 people

At least 10 people died after landslides devastated two cities in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, state officials said.

The Bethania neighborhood of the city of Ipatinga was the most affected by the landslides, caused by torrential rains.

The mayor’s office said 204 mm (8 inches) of rain fell in Ipatinga on Sunday morning.

Landslides after torrential rains are not uncommon in the rainy season, with neighborhoods built precariously on steep slopes being the most affected.

The mayor of Ipatinga, Gustavo Nunes, declared a state of emergency.

At least 150 people have been left homeless in the city, located about 570 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro.

The mayor said the city had been surprised by heavy rain. “There was no time for people to prepare,” according to Nunes.

At least nine people have been confirmed dead in Ipatinga, while another body was found half an hour’s drive north, in Santana do Paraíso.

Local media reported that two young people managed to escape alive from a house where five of their relatives died buried under the mud.

The city’s health center was also damaged by the landslides, Ipatinga’s health minister said.

“At this moment the health center is not in a position to care for people and all the patients who were here waiting to be transferred have been transferred,” said Walisson Medeiros.

He thanked neighboring cities for offering to help.

Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema said he would visit the affected area later on Monday.