Landslide Hits Residential Area While Residents Sleep, Dozens Dead

From the air, the rubble of collapsed buildings can be seen in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Tuesday local time, after heavy rain triggered a landslide that hit residential areas. The disaster prompted the government to declare a state of emergency, following casualties and reports of missing people. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Rescue teams in southeastern Brazil have found a number of bodies from the rubble and thick mud after a landslide triggered by heavy rain hit the city of Juiz de Fora. The disaster has killed at least 18 people in the city and caused severe damage to residential areas. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Overall, at least 25 people have been reported dead after heavy rain hit the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. In addition to the casualties, 43 people are still missing and being searched for by joint teams. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Officers deployed sniffer dogs to search for victims buried in the rubble and mud. The state fire department confirmed that 18 deaths occurred in Juiz de Fora and seven others in the city of Uba, about 110 kilometers from the worst-affected area. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing amid difficult terrain conditions. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Fire officer Demetrius Bastus Goulart said the extent of the affected area was the main challenge in the evacuation process. “The biggest challenge is the very large area, including 12 houses and a large number of residents who were inside their homes because of the rain at night,” he said. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

The city hall stated that about 440 people were forced to evacuate in Juiz de Fora. Floods and landslides have also forced the suspension of school activities in the city. The Brazilian federal government has declared a state of emergency in the region. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Currently, most of central Brazil is entering the peak of the summer rainy season from December to March, a period that often triggers floods and landslides. (REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)