Brazil: 18 Killed in Storms Near Rio de Janeiro (Video)

At least 18 were killed in storms near Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, firefighters announced on Tuesday.

Landslides and flooding triggered by heavy rainfall in a tourist town in the hills above Rio de Janeiro.

"So far, 18 deaths caused by landslides and floods have been confirmed" in recent hours, the Rio de Janeiro Fire Department said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/tracklist/status/1493757257062010880

The department noted that more than 180 firefighters and other rescue workers were at the scene in the picturesque hill town of Petropolis, 68 kilometers (42 miles) north of the city of Rio.

In response, the city hall declared a "state of disaster" as images spread on social media of destroyed houses and cars swept away by flooding.

Moreover, shops were completely inundated by the rising waters which gushed down the streets of the historic city center.

On his part, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Twitter that he was keeping abreast of "the tragedy" and asked his ministers to provide "immediate aid to the victims."

Earlier this month, floods and landslides killed at least 28 people in the southeast of the country, mostly in Sao Paulo state and the region north of Rio.