Severe rain leaves 10 dead in São Paulo state

Criado em 14/01/14 17h16 e atualizado em 14/01/14 17h18
Por Fernanda Cruz Fonte:Agência Brasil

São Paulo – Ten people died in the heavy rain that came over the town of Itaóca, in the southeast of São Paulo state, on Sunday (Jan. 12). According to the emergency service, firemen aided by sniffer dogs are searching for 12 missing people.

As the Palmital river overflowed, dozens of families were forced to leave their homes, and in neighboring Apiaí, 50 houses were damaged.

Entire families were reported missing in Itaóca's most severely impacted district, Guarda-Mão.

“In some locations, only the foundations of the houses were left. We fear the missing persons to have been trapped in the rubble,” Agriculture Secretary Erli Rodrigues said in a telephone interview. “It's a small town, resources are scarce. We didn't know what to do or where to start,” he went on.

Governor Geraldo Alckmin inspected the city on Monday (Jan. 13) and announced that a task force was set up in the region. Five rescue vehicles and at least 40 men were mobilized to assist and search for the missing people.

Edited by Graça Adjuto / Nira Foster
Translated by Mayra Borges