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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Brazil Flood Death Toll Could Rise to 1,000


The death toll from flooding and mudslides near Rio de Janeiro last week could approach 1,000 victims, after authorities on Wednesday disclosed a list of at least 207 people still missing in addition to the 730 confirmed dead.
After a week of relief and recovery efforts, authorities said an accurate list of fatalities remains elusive because victims are still being found daily. In some of the worst hit areas, officials said, entire families disappeared, making it difficult to identify some of the victims and tabulate a full roster of those missing.
Though some of those considered missing may still be found in hospitals or shelters around the affected region, many of them are feared to remain amid the rubble, mud, and floodwater left behind by the downpours.
Rains continued to batter southern Brazil, as flash floods from the rainy season killed at least one person in Sao Paulo and disrupted traffic and services throughout the region.
Write to Paulo Prada at paulo.prada@wsj.com

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