At least 91 dead in Brazil floods; rescuers searching for 26 missing

Authorities in northeastern Brazil’s Pernambuco state said on Monday that 91 deaths have been confirmed from flooding over the weekend, with more two dozen people still missing.

Hundreds of state and federal rescuers were searching for 26 people currently unaccounted for, according to the official statement.

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday flew over the affected area of Pernambuco’s capital, Recife, and neighbouring Jaboatao dos Guararapes. Speaking to reporters afterward, he said that landing in the helicopter was not possible due to the soaked soil.

He also noted the country has recently experienced similar disasters in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro, in southern Bahia state and in Minas Gerais state.

“Unfortunately, these catastrophes happen in a continent-sized country,” he said. “We’re all obviously sad. We express our sympathy to family members. Our bigger objective is to comfort families and also, with material means, attend to the population.”

The government is moving to make funds available to municipalities that have declared a state of emergency, Daniel Ferreira, the minister of regional development, said at the press conference. He also highlighted a new credit line available to cities afflicted by such disasters.