RIO DE JANEIRO, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least two people were killed Friday when two buildings collapsed in a hillside neighborhood west of Rio de Janeiro, a region hard hit by heavy rain and flash floods in the past days, firefighters said.
The contiguous four-story buildings were located in the Itanhanga favela, located 30 kilometers west of downtown Rio. Itanhanga was drenched by the storm that struck the Rio area three days ago and resulted in multiple deaths.
At least two other people were injured by the collapse of the buildings, said the firefighters, who searched in the rubble for survivors and have cordoned off a large area to prevent onlookers from approaching.
The mayor of Itanhanga said that the buildings did not have proper construction permits, local media reported.
The unusually heavy rain, which began late Monday and continued into Tuesday, triggered flash flooding across the Rio de Janeiro area that turned some streets into raging rivers, uprooting trees and sweeping away vehicles.
Heavy runoff from neighboring hills gushed through some apartment buildings and shops, leaving behind mud and debris. — NNN-AGENCIES
