Brazil’s state of Minas Gerais: Landslides killed at least 10 people

Ipatinga Mayor Gustavo Nunes declared a state of emergency.

At least 150 people were left homeless in the city, 570 km north of Rio de Janeiro.

The mayor said that heavy rains took the city by surprise. According to Nunes, “People didn’t have time to prepare.”

At least nine people are confirmed dead in Ipatinga, while another body was found half an hour north in Santana do Paraiso.

Local media reported that the five relatives of the two young men managed to escape safely from the house where they died under the mud.

The health minister of Ipatinga said that the city’s health center was also damaged as a result of the landslide.

“At the moment, the health center is in no condition to refer people, and all the patients waiting to be transferred here have been transferred,” said Walisson Medeiros.

He thanked the neighboring cities for their offer of help.

Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema said he would visit the affected region later on Monday.