Heavy rains in Brazil's southeastern Minas Gerais state have claimed 46 lives as of Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with 21 people still unaccounted for, according to local authorities. The disaster has triggered landslides and flash floods, destroying critical infrastructure and displacing hundreds of families.
Emergency crews continue search operations in high-risk zones, while temporary shelters have been established across affected municipalities. Meteorologists attribute the extreme weather to a persistent atmospheric blockage pattern, with rainfall totals exceeding historical averages for February.
The catastrophe highlights growing climate resilience challenges in South America's most populous nation. Analysts note increased frequency of extreme weather events across Asia and other continents this year, underscoring global climate adaptation priorities.
