Death toll in Brazilian mudslide rises to 12

Jan 10, 2012, 16:05 GMT

Rio de Janeiro - The number of people killed in a mudslide in the south-eastern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro rose to 12 on Tuesday while more than 20 others remained missing.

After days of heavy rain in the area, the mudslide early Monday in the town of Sapucaia, about 150 kilometres north-east of Rio de Janeiro, buried eight homes. Persistent rain has hampered rescue efforts.

'There is no hope of finding any survivors,' said Sapucaia Mayor Anderson Zanon.

Those missing include a family caught by the mud as they tried to flee in their car.

Close to 100 people were evacuated from the area.

Since the beginning of the rainy season in October, floods and mudslides have damaged the property of over 2 million people in the state of Rio and in the neighbouring state of Minas Gerais, Brazilian official said.

In January 2011, more than 900 people died in a disaster caused by heavy rain in the mountainous region of the state of Rio.