Unrelenting rain kills 520 in Rio de Janeiro (Feature)

By Diana Renee Jan 14, 2011, 16:39 GMT

Teresopolis, Brazil - A fine but persistent rain on Friday brought new fears to the people of the mountainous region of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.

They dreaded that more rain might worsen what is already considered the worst weather-related disaster in Brazil's history, which has claimed 520 lives so far.

Low, black clouds threatened not only to cause more mudslides and flooding, but also to hinder already difficult rescue efforts, now in their third day.

The situation degenerated as rumours spread panic on Friday. In Nova Friburgo, thousands of people were shocked by the mistaken report that a dam had broken in the city, where the storm has so far left 232 confirmed dead. City officials denied that there was a problem.

'On top of all the problems we have, it was terrible to deal with a rumour like this, because many people felt so bad they needed treatment at the field hospital, and we don't need that right now, when we have to reach isolated areas to take water and food,' Rio de Janeiro Vice Governor Luiz Fernando Pezao said.

In the city of Teresopolis, almost all shops closed their doors Friday morning, amid reports of mass looting and robbery in the city centre. City officials did not confirm the crimes, but conceded there were two cases of looting followed by moves to reinforce police surveillance in Teresopolis.

In Teresopolis, rescue teams had yet to reach three of the worst affected neighbourhoods, including Campo Grande, a poor community of an estimated 1,000 people which was virtually destroyed.

'The impression one gets is that a huge avalanche (mud and rocks) now occupies site. What you hear is that 80 per cent of the more than 1,000 people who lived there were buried under those gigantic rocks, as big as cars,' a volunteer told the German Press Agency dpa.

The woman is involved in helping survivors.

Teresopolis Civil Defence chief Flavio Castro said Friday that the number of dead in the city will be far greater than the 228 confirmed so far. Colonel Castro told a press conference that city authorities have a list of 25 people who are missing, although they assume that there are more to be reported missing.

Beyond Teresopolis and Nova Friburgo, the storm left 39 people dead in Petropolis, 19 in Sumidouro and two in Sao Jose do Vale do Rio Preto.

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