• At least 25 dead as heavy rains trigger floods and landslides in Brazil
• Hundreds displaced and missing amid ongoing rescue efforts

At least 25 people have died in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais after heavy rains caused widespread flooding and scattered landslides.

Most fatalities were reported in the city of Juiz de Fora, where 18 people were killed, while another seven died in Ubá.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with local authorities and residents searching for dozens of people still missing following the collapse of homes and buildings overnight.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his "deepest condolences" to the families of the victims and those who lost their homes, announcing that the government had declared a "state of calamity" in Juiz de Fora.

In a post on X, he said he had mobilized the government to assist the affected communities, focusing on humanitarian aid and reconstruction, pledging to act "with the speed and force this situation requires."

Reports indicate that around 440 people in Juiz de Fora alone have been left homeless, with local authorities providing temporary shelter and calling for donations of food, water, clothing, and hygiene supplies.

Mayor Margarida Salomão described the disaster as the "saddest moment" of her five-year tenure and declared three days of official mourning for the victims.

She confirmed that children were among the dead but said no further official details on the victims’ identities had been released.

Among the missing is six-year-old Valtencir Coutinho de Miranda’s daughter, who he searched for live on television. Holding a shovel amid mud and debris from a landslide, he told TV Globo: "We are here to find her, and may God give us strength and comfort our hearts so we can bring her back alive."

Videos circulating on social media show widespread destruction, with muddy floodwaters carrying cars and debris through the streets, while several buildings collapsed. In Ubá, a video showed coffins being swept away by the floodwaters at a local funeral home. Images from Juiz de Fora revealed the impact of the heavy rains on Morro do Cristo hill, where floodwaters carved a deep gorge through the landscape.

Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema described the day as a "sad day" and expressed solidarity with affected families. Local officials said this February is the rainiest in the history of Juiz de Fora, with rainfall already more than double the monthly average.

The National Institute of Meteorology has issued heavy rain warnings for Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and 12 other states. Brazil is currently in summer, the peak of its rainy season, when storms, floods, and landslides are common.

In 2024, nearly 200 people were killed in Rio Grande do Sul due to heavy rains, floods, and landslides, affecting over two million people.