Seven killed so far after heavy rains in Rio

Three bodies have been confirmed by the police to have been found inside a yellow car buried as a result of a landslide on Carlos Peixoto avenue. This brings the death roll of the heavy rains pounding Rio de Janeiro since yesterday (Apr. 8) to seven.

The bodies are still being rescued. By all accounts, the vehicle is a missing taxi, authorities reported. “However, rescue efforts are carried out very cautiously, in respect for the dead bodies, but we could see there were bodies inside,” said Copacabana Police Commissioner Valéria Aragão, adding that the car’s GPS system was turned off exactly on the spot the car was found buried.

The work of firefighters is slow and was interrupted because the rains intensified.

Aragão said she will talk to everyone who left their vehicles last night on the avenue, in a bid to understand how the landslide came about.

The city is still in a state of crisis, number three on a scale of three levels, which means heavy to very heavy raining in the coming hours, with possible floods and landslides. Traffic has been obstructed since yesterday. Rio de Janeiro state civil servants were given an optional day off as per a decree signed by state Governor Wilson Witzel.