Heavy rain, high winds leave 4 dead in Rio de Janeiro

SAO PAULO – Heavy rain and high winds in Rio de Janeiro have left four people dead.

Overnight storms flooded roads, downed trees and damaged several homes. Several hospitals lost power and were forced to run on generators.

By Thursday evening, authorities had cordoned off more than 50 homes that had been severely damaged in the Alemao slum complex and another neighbourhood.

The mayor’s office said that the rainfall in one area was the highest recorded since authorities began gathering data in 1997. It received more rain in an hour than it would normally receive throughout February.

City officials said four people died and three were injured in the storms. The dead included a military police officer.

Isolated rainstorms are expected in the coming days but winds should die down.