At least 207 missing in Brazil floods, 741 dead

[Amby 490]

Jan 19 (Reuters) - At least 207 people are still missing after Brazil's worst landslides in decades, authorities said on Wednesday, as the death toll from the disaster in a scenic mountain region reached 741.The list of missing people released by the Rio de Janeiro state prosecutor's office -- the first official estimate of the number of missing since the catastrophe struck a week ago -- suggests the final death toll could be close to 1,000.

Local officials in the worst-affected towns of Teresopolis and Nova Friburgo said the number of missing was at least 300. Many of them are believed buried under the avalanches of mud and debris from flash floods that destroyed hundreds of homes.

"There are families that were so decimated that there is no one left to confirm who's missing," said Roberto Botto, a spokesman for the Civil Defense agency in Nova Friburgo, where at least 345 people died.

The death toll is still rising steadily as rescuers reach isolated areas and dig out more bodies from the wreckage of neighborhoods that were swept away by landslides and floods triggered by intense rains in southeast Brazil last week.

Army helicopters have been running missions to remote areas to pick up survivors and help them dig corpses from their ruined houses. Hundreds of people are believed to still be in areas at risk of fresh mudslides. Some of them are cut off from help by smashed roads and bridges, while others refuse to leave for fear their houses will be raided by looters.

The floods and mudslides hit with such force that the geography of the region has changed profoundly, officials said.

"Streams turned into wide, deep rivers. There is a huge geographical change; it's as if towns were completely reshaped," said Icaro Moreno, president of EMOP, a government public works firm.

"People in these mountainside areas aren't as secure as they used to think."

The federal government vowed this week to set up a national early warning system that could alert communities to approaching natural dangers.

Populist politics and lack of urban planning across much of Brazil has allowed the construction of whole neighborhoods in areas with high risk of flooding and mudslides.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1926070320110119

ok now everyone talk about floods in brazil ONLY. no other floods are allowed to be mentioned...EVER!

[spookyturtle 9,465]

It really is a mess down there in the flooded areas. The government is taking a lot of heat for the lack of preparation. There are roads closed and flooded out in many areas of the country besides the ones with the mudslides and deaths. This is the rainy season there and this one has been terrible. The mudslides are causing so many deaths and damage.

I can't believe how arrogant Vanessa got about me posting in her flood thread. I was merely showing that a similar thing was happening elsewhere.

[Amby 490]

yeah that was crazy

I saw footage from the floods in Brazil and was shocked by how many deaths there were. Are the high number of deaths just because of the area where it happened?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

The worst areas are in the hills and mountains, so lots of mudslides, think California, only there isn't any strict building code in some of the areas and no disaster preparation or planning. It is nasty.

[Amby 490]

The worst areas are in the hills and mountains, so lots of mudslides, think California, only there isn't any strict building code in some of the areas and no disaster preparation or planning. It is nasty.

That's what the article said so I wondered if it was partially due to the types of buildings there.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

That's what the article said so I wondered if it was partially due to the types of buildings there.

You are correct. There was one area of high priced vacation homes that got wiped out too. It really is a mess. There have been several videos on the news sites that really give a good feel for what is going on there and in Australia. Both countries have been affected and thankfully the death toll in Australia is much lower, probably due to better infrastructure, sparser population and an overall flatter terrain. I don't joke about disasters and innocent people dying.

[alex and astrid 38]

You are correct. There was one area of high priced vacation homes that got wiped out too. It really is a mess. There have been several videos on the news sites that really give a good feel for what is going on there and in Australia. Both countries have been affected and thankfully the death toll in Australia is much lower, probably due to better infrastructure, sparser population and an overall flatter terrain. I don't joke about disasters and innocent people dying.

I feel awful about the disaster in Brazil. I can't even imagine losing everything in my life like that. My heart goes out to them and I hope those families that have lost love ones find peace.

I am from the area in Australia where the severe flooding is, Brisbane and the surrounding areas are actually quite hilly, with the outerlying areas a little flat. Most of the deaths happened when an 'inland tsunami' raged through a valley and swept people to their deaths. It's something that is going to scar australians for a long time. I think more deaths were avoided though because a lot of people had time to evacuate, and yes, a sparser population.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...the July 2010 Pakistan floods, the December - January Queensland Australia floods, the November 2010 Colombia floods, and the January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods--were all accompanied by an atmosphere laden with moisture, due, in part, due to sea surface temperatures over nearby ocean areas that were the 2nd or 3rd warmest on record.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1730

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I feel awful about the disaster in Brazil. I can't even imagine losing everything in my life like that. My heart goes out to them and I hope those families that have lost love ones find peace.

I am from the area in Australia where the severe flooding is, Brisbane and the surrounding areas are actually quite hilly, with the outerlying areas a little flat. Most of the deaths happened when an 'inland tsunami' raged through a valley and swept people to their deaths. It's something that is going to scar australians for a long time. I think more deaths were avoided though because a lot of people had time to evacuate, and yes, a sparser population.

Brazil had a lot of deaths due to the mudslides. I also think the Aussie government is better prepared to deal with natural disasters compared to Brazil. Brazil is still a developing nation. I've followed the flooding in both countries and it has been tragic.

[SuperDuper! 230]

BLESS ALL THE FLOOD VICTIMS.

GOOD NIGHT SINNERS.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Boing!

[웃 910]

...the July 2010 Pakistan floods, the December - January Queensland Australia floods, the November 2010 Colombia floods, and the January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods--were all accompanied by an atmosphere laden with moisture, due, in part, due to sea surface temperatures over nearby ocean areas that were the 2nd or 3rd warmest on record.

http://www.wundergro...l?entrynum=1730

Well is this coming from man, or from God? I did post an article a couple weeks ago that said the floods in Australia were of "biblical proportions"...

[spookyturtle 9,465]

The death toll has surpassed 800 and hundreds of people are still missing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41219957/ns/world_news-americas/