Flooding, landslides in Brazil kill at least 95

http://www.timesofearth.com/Worldnews/?NT=0&nid=20348 Heavy rains and flash floods which casued landslides overnight have left at least 95 people dead in Rio de Janeiro, paralyzing transportation and causing the citys mayor to cancel all classes and urge people not to leave their homes.

RIO DE JANEIRO - Scores of people have been killed by flooding and mudslides after more than 15 hours of torrential rains in Brazil.

The majority of the 95 deaths were caused by mudslides late on Monday in Rio de Janeiro state, authorities said on Tuesday.

Transport and communications in the country's second city, Rio de Janeiro, were shut down.

In the city, where eight people were killed, it was the heaviest rains for 30 years, according to officials.

Eduardo Paes, the city mayor, urged residents to remain at home and not visit the downtown area which was inundated with water.

"All the major streets of the city are closed because of the floods," Paes said in a statement.

"Each and every person who attempts to enter them will be at enormous risk."

The rains caused flights in and out of the city to be cancelled or delayed, and schools were closed.

Officials said floodwaters started landslides on the hilly metro area where 16 million people live.

More rain is expected for the coming days raising fears of more hazards.

"Ten thousand houses remain at risk mostly in the slums, with one fifth of the population living in shacks that are vulnerable. So the situation is critical."

"The mayor has urged people to leave the risk areas but they have nowhere to go.

"It is impossible to more around the city the streets are rivers. He has told them not to go to risky areas but they live on risky areas."

In January, scores of people were killed in landslides in Rio de Janeiro state, many in the island resort of Ilha Grande when a hillside collapesed after torrential rains.

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