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In Just Three Days, More Than 1,500 Occurrences Were Registered; Searches Were Suspended Due to Risk of New Landslides
In less than 72 hours, rain turned entire neighborhoods into risk areas in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais. The death toll reached 59 victims, while at least 15 people remain missing under the rubble. The scenario already ranks the storm among the most severe in the region’s recent history.
The most affected cities are Juiz de Fora and Ubá, where streets were submerged, slopes collapsed, and hundreds of families had to abandon their homes in a hurry.
What is most concerning now is not just what has already happened — but what could still happen.
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The Updated Toll of the Tragedy
According to official data released by the end of the afternoon on Thursday (26):
- 53 dead and 13 missing in Juiz de Fora
- 6 dead and 2 missing in Ubá
In total, there are 59 confirmed deaths and 15 people still not located.
The number may increase, as teams continue to work in areas where there is suspicion of buried victims.
113 mm in One Night: What Does That Mean?
During the last night, 113 millimeters of rain fell in Juiz de Fora.
To understand the impact: this volume can represent almost half of the average expected for the entire month, concentrated in just a few hours. When rain falls at this rate, the ground cannot absorb it — it saturates.
Saturated soil means:
- Landslides
- Barrier collapses
- Structural cracks
- Building collapses
Exactly this happened in neighborhoods like Jardim Natal, where new houses collapsed after the ground became soaked.
Searches Interrupted Due to Risk of New Landslides
The work of the Military Fire Brigade of Minas Gerais was interrupted during the night.
The reason: real risk of new collapses while teams were working in the rubble.
In tragedies like this, time is crucial. But the safety of the rescuers is also part of the equation.
Searches resumed in the morning with the support of:
- Search dogs
- Excavators
- Precision manual equipment
Every minute counts.
More Than 1,500 Occurrences in Three Days
The Civil Defense registered more than 1,500 occurrences since Monday (23) only in Juiz de Fora.
Among them:
- Widespread flooding
- Slopes collapsing
- Compromised walls and structures
- Complete street closures
Some areas had to be evacuated preventively after new alerts of soil instability.
Thousands Out of Home
The exact number of homeless people is still being updated by authorities, but it is already being reported that there are thousands of displaced or homeless people in the region.
Schools, gyms, and community centers have been transformed into emergency shelters.
Aside from the loss of lives, there is also the silent impact:
- Families who lost everything
- Business owners with destroyed stocks
- Residents without a timeline for return
Reconstruction could take months — or years — depending on the extent of damage in affected areas.
Army Reinforces Operation
The City Hall of Juiz de Fora reported that 100 military personnel from the Army will reinforce assistance to victims.
The support includes:
- Logistics for distribution of supplies
- Organization of shelters
- Assistance in controlling evacuated areas
The measure aims to accelerate assistance in light of the tragedy’s magnitude.
Why Is the Risk Still High?
The problem now is cumulative.
The soil is already saturated after consecutive days of rain. Even smaller amounts of precipitation can trigger new landslides.
Experts point to four factors that increase the risk:
- Rain concentrated over a short period
- Occupation of slopes
- Insufficient urban drainage
- Soil already soaked since early in the week
Forecasts indicate rain at least until Friday (27), keeping the region in a state of maximum alert.
A Tragedy That Exposes Urban Fragilities
Extreme events like this have become more frequent in recent years. When they hit densely populated and irregularly occupied urban areas, the impact is multiplied.
Occupied slopes, soil sealing, and accelerated urban growth create a dangerous combination in the face of intense rainfall.
The result is in the numbers: 59 lives lost in just three days.
Solidarity and the Coming Days
As searches continue, fundraising campaigns are spreading throughout the city.
Donations of:
- Water
- Food
- Clothing
- Hygiene products
are being directed to shelters.
But the bigger challenge begins after the rain passes: to reconstruct entire neighborhoods, provide psychological support to families, and reevaluate risk areas.
The question that remains is: how many other Brazilian cities are vulnerable to a similar scenario?
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