Torrential downpours triggered flash floods and landslides across Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, killing at least 14 people including eight children and leaving five missing, authorities said on Saturday.
Two days of heavy rain have battered much of the south-eastern state's Atlantic coast, the latest in a series of deadly storms in Brazil that experts say are being aggravated by climate change.
More rain is forecast for the region in the coming days.
The victims included a mother and six of her children, who were buried when a landslide swept away their home, officials said.
President Jair Bolsonaro said on Facebook the federal government had sent military aircraft to help the rescue effort and national disaster response secretary Alexandre Lucas was sent to the state of 17.5 million people.
The new incidents come six weeks after flash floods and landslides killed 233 people in the scenic city of Petropolis, the Brazilian empire's 19th-century summer capital, also in Rio state.
This time, the areas hit hardest included the tourist town of Paraty, a seaside colonial city known for its picturesque cobblestone streets and colourful houses.
Officials there said a landslide in the Ponta Negra neighbourhood had killed a mother and six of her children, aged two, five, eight, 10, 15 and 17.
A seventh child was rescued alive and taken to the hospital, where he was in stable condition, they said.
Another four people were injured.
Six more victims, including at least two children, were killed in the city of Angra dos Reis, where officials declared a "maximum alert" and state of emergency after landslides devastated the Monsuaba neighbourhood.
Several people were rescued alive, while another five remain missing, they said.
Mayor Fernando Jordao said emergency workers were installing floodlights to continue the search-and-rescue operations through the night if necessary.
"Residents have been working side-by-side with us on the search," he told a press conference. "We'll continue working hard."
In Mesquita, 40 kilometres north-west of Rio de Janeiro city, a 38-year-old man was electrocuted trying to help another person escape the flooding, officials and media reports said.
The storms turned streets into rivers on Friday night in several cities including Rio, the state capital, sweeping up cars and triggering landslides — a frequent tragedy in the rainy season, especially in poor hillside communities.
TV channel Globo News carried images of a family helping two young children through the floodwaters in a styrofoam cooler in the Rio suburb of Belford Roxo, while residents posted videos on social media of small alligators swimming through flooded streets.
A hospital in the suburb of Nova Iguacu was badly flooded, turning the corridors of its intensive care unit into streams.
Officials in Angra said the city had received up to 800 millimetres of rain in 48 hours in some areas, "levels never before registered in the municipality".
Experts say rainy season downpours in Brazil are being augmented by La Nina, the cyclical cooling of the Pacific Ocean, as well as by climate change.
Because a hotter atmosphere holds more water, global warming increases the likelihood and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall.
In December, storms killed 24 people in the north-eastern state of Bahia and in January, floods and landslides claimed at least 28 lives in south-eastern Brazil, mostly in Sao Paulo state.
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Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
