TERESOPOLIS: Rescue workers dug desperately for survivors Thursday and struggled to reach areas cut off by raging floods and landslides that have killed at least 388 people in one of Brazil's worst natural disasters in decades. Torrents of mud and water set off by heavy rains left a trail of destruction through the mountainous Serrana region near the city of Rio de Janeiro, toppling houses, buckling roads and burying entire families as they slept. “It's like an earthquake struck some areas,” said Jorge Mario, the mayor of the Teresopolis municipal area, where at least 168 people died. “There are three or four neighborhoods that were totally destroyed in rural areas. There are hardly any houses standing there and all the roads and bridges are destroyed.” The mudslides swept away the homes of rich and poor alike in and around Teresopolis and other towns, but the brunt of the disaster was borne by poorer rural residents in houses built in risky areas without formal planning permission. The disaster poses an early challenge for new President Dilma Rousseff, who took office less than two weeks ago and was due to fly over the region Thursday. At least 39 people also died in Petropolis, a picturesque town nestled in the mountains that served as the summer residence for Brazil's royal family in the 19th century. Another 13 people died in the town Sumidouro in the same region, officials said. Many stranded residents were forced to fend for themselves as rescue operations were hampered by destroyed roads and treacherous terrain. Firefighters used heavy machinery to remove debris from roads that was blocking their path to some of the worst-affected areas. “The situation is critical, but we have to advance, we can't stop,” said fire department colonel Jose Paulo Miranda. More rain is forecast for the coming days, raising the risk of further mudslides. Rousseff, who took office on Jan. 1, has made 780 million reais ($460 million) in emergency aid available for the rescue and reconstruction efforts.
