Heavy Rains Cause Landslides and Flooding in São Paulo, Killing at Least 19

A gate of a house is seen broken by flooding after heavy rains in Caieiras, Brazil, on Jan. 30, 2022. Carla Carniel/Reuters

BRASILIA—Landslides and flooding from heavy rains in Sao Paulo state have killed at least 19 people since Friday, including seven children, public safety officials said on Sunday.

According to São Paulo state authorities, nine other people were injured in the rains and four more were missing, while some 500 families were left homeless across the state.

Sao Paulo Governor João Doria flew over the flooded areas on Sunday and said he had authorized 15 million reais ($2.79 million) of emergency aid for the affected cities.

The federal government said in a statement from the Ministry of Regional Development that it is monitoring the situation.

People stand in a flooded street after heavy rain in Caieiras, Brazil, on Jan. 30, 2022. Carla Carniel/Reuters

A flooded soccer field is seen after heavy rains in Caieiras, Brazil, on Jan. 30, 2022. Carla Carniel/Reuters

The hardest-hit municipalities around greater São Paulo included Aruja, Francisco Morato, Embu das Artes, and Franco da Rocha.

The storms also caused damages upstate in Varzea Paulista, Campo Limpo Paulista, Jau, Capivari, Montemor, and Rafard, state officials said.

Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods in northeast Brazil, threatened to delay harvests in the midwest and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais.