Brazil landslides death toll rises to 356

An aerial view shows damage caused by landslides in Teresopolis. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
An aerial view shows damage caused by landslides in Teresopolis. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
Rescue workers search for victims of a landslide in Teresopolis.Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
People cross a flooded street in the centre of the city of Franco da Rocha. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters rescue flood victims in a boat in the center of the city of Franco da Rocha. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
Fire workers rescue flood victims in a boat in the center of the city of Franco da Rocha. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
Rescue workers search for victims of a landslide in Teresopolis. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
A rescue worker walks among debris after landslides at Caleme neighborhood in Teresopolis, Brazil. Driving rains sent tons of rusty red earth sliding into Brazilian mountain towns, killing at least 287 people and leaving dozens more missing - lives rescuers hoped to save as they resumed searches. Photo: AP
Cars sit in debris in a flooded street in Teresopolis, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: AP
People play in a flooded street in the center of the city of Franco da Rocha. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll on Wednesday from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters
Rescue workers stand by a damaged area after landslides in the Caleme neighbourhood in Teresopolis, Brazil. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: AP
Rescue workers attempt to locate survivors after a landslide hit Teresopolis. Floods and landslides devastated towns in a mountainous area near Rio de Janeiro, killing dozens of people and bringing the death toll from days of heavy rain in southern Brazil to at least 127. Photo: Reuters

Published Jan 13, 2011

Rescue workers struggled on Thursday to reach areas cut off by floods and landslides that have killed at least 356 people in one of Brazil's worst natural disasters in decades. The death toll from the devastated mountainous region near the city of Rio de Janeiro was expected to rise as rescuers reached the more remote areas. Heavy rains earlier in the week killed 13 people in Sao Paulo state, bringing the total number of deaths in southern Brazil to at least 369.

Hillsides and riverbanks in the scenic Serrana region north of Rio collapsed after the equivalent of a month's rain fell in 24 hours, destroying houses and killing entire families as they slept early on Wednesday. Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper said it was the worst natural disaster to hit Brazil in four decades.