Brazil flood, mudslide death toll rises to 72

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Published: NOVEMBER 25, 2008 20:15
Rescue workers desperately digging through the wreckage of homes engulfed by mudslides found more bodies on Tuesday in southern Brazil, raising the death toll from rain-spawned floods and hillside collapses to 72. As many as 30 people were still missing in small cities and towns across Santa Catarina state, where torrential weekend rains far surpassed records going back to 1961. Most of the dead were killed in mudslides that swept away homes and businesses, and nearly 54,000 were displaced, civil defense officials said in a statement. Eight cities remained isolated and were running short of everything from drinking water to fuel because of the rains that caused rivers to overflow their banks. Four helicopters were being used to rescue stranded people surrounded by water.