Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state confronts flood damage after heavy rain kills at least 12

By DIARLEI RODRIGUES and ELÉONORE HUGHES
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Neighborhoods in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state are flooded more than a day after torrential rains that killed at least 12 people. The heavy weekend downpour wreaked havoc, flooding homes, a hospital basement, the metro line in the city of Rio de Janeiro and a main freeway. Some people drowned and were killed in landslides, while at least three died after being electrocuted. Eight towns across the state remained at a “very high” risk of landslides and another 10 at “high” risk, civil defense officials said Monday. Around 2,400 military personnel from Rio’s fire brigade were mobilized to rescue residents and to monitor affected areas. But some people accused authorities of negligence.