Brazil mudslide death toll at 117, many missing: Cops

A man clears broken furniture in front of a store hit by severe flash floods in Petropolis. Pic/AFP

The death toll from floods and landslides that swept down on the mountain city of Petropolis rose to at least 117 on Thursday and local officials said it could still rise sharply, with 116 more unaccounted for.

The Rio de Janeiro state government confirmed the rising loss of life, with many feared buried in mud beneath the German-influenced city nestled in the mountains above the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Torrents of floodwater and mudslides dragged cars and houses through the streets of the city Tuesday during the most intense rainfall in decades. One video showed two buses sinking into a swollen river as passengers clambered out the windows, scrambling for safety. Some didn't make it.

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