Torrential rains trigger deadly landslides in southeastern Brazil

Torrential rains in southeastern Brazil have triggered deadly landslides, leaving at least 10 people dead, according to rescue teams in Minas Gerais state.

The city of Ipatinga was hit hardest, with 80 millimetres (3.1 inches) of rainfall in just one hour on Saturday night. Nine of the victims were from Ipatinga, including an eight-year-old boy whose body was recovered from a collapsed house, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media reports.

Another landslide in the city's Bethania neighbourhood destroyed homes and swept away everything in its path along a hillside. As of January 12 evening, one person remained missing, although four family members were rescued.

A body was also discovered in the nearby town of Santana do Paraiso. Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema expressed his condolences, offering solidarity to the victims on social media.

Brazil has faced a series of extreme weather events over the past year, including catastrophic floods in the south that claimed over 180 lives in April and May. The country has also dealt with a severe drought, exacerbated by climate change, leading to the worst wildfires in 17 years and significant destruction in the Amazon rainforest.

By Khagan Isayev