At Least Eighteen Dead After Rain Deluges Brazil Area

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – At least 18 people are dead from mudslides and floods caused by torrential rains in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, and there are fears the toll could rise as searchers check damaged areas Wednesday. The state fire department says more than 180 soldiers are working in the stricken Petropolis region, which saw hundreds of deaths from heavy rainfall in 2011. The department says the area got 25.8 centimeters (just over 10 inches) of rain within three hours Tuesday. That is almost as much as during the previous 30 days combined.. Footage posted on social media shows cars and houses being dragged away by landslides and water swirling through the city of Petropolis and neighboring districts.