Southeastern Brazil is gripped by a major natural disaster after torrential rains of rare intensity caused flooding, landslides, and widespread loss of life and property in the state of Minas Gerais . According to local authorities, at least 36 people have died , while 33 remain missing , as rescue workers struggle to find any survivors in the affected areas.

Heavy rains began affecting several municipalities on Monday, including Juiz de Fora and Ubá , where neighborhoods were flooded, homes were evacuated or completely destroyed, and roads were blocked by mudslides. The situation forced municipal authorities to declare a state of public emergency and suspend classes in several schools to facilitate rescue operations.

Rescue teams, comprised of firefighters, civil defense personnel, and volunteers, continue to search the affected areas despite the risk of further rainfall expected in the coming days. Hundreds of residents have already been evacuated from their homes and housed in temporary shelters, while families desperately search for loved ones buried under the rubble of landslides.

The situation remains critical, and local authorities have warned that finding anyone alive under the masses of mud and debris is increasingly unlikely. Torrential rains, exceeding historical levels for February, have submerged entire neighborhoods and caused significant loss of life, reigniting concerns about the extent of climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

Faced with this already heavy toll, rescue operations continue relentlessly, while the authorities call for national and international solidarity to support the victims in this difficult period.