Landslide in Brazil causes destruction of port and many missing

A landslide in Brazil has caused the collapse of a cargo and passenger port on the banks of the Solimo River, a tributary of the Amazon River, in the municipality of Manacapuru, about 100 kilometers from the state capital Manaus.

Manacapuru police officer Mauro Soares said in a state civil defense memo that authorities were searching for a man aged about 36 and a girl under six, according to the Brazilian newspaper Bolso.

Firefighters were working across the surrounding land and the river, with the help of divers, firefighters' chief Alexandre Freitas said, adding, "We will continue this work until the missing are found."

Images showed some buildings standing on the edge of a huge hole as the ground collapsed into the water. Authorities have not disclosed the possible causes of the landslide in Manacapuru, but they have warned of a "landfall phenomenon" on riverbanks, as a result of the severe drought currently affecting the state, which could cause a "natural disaster."

Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Clovis Araujo said they recommended that riverside communities implement "emergency plans" to avoid new tragedies. Brazil has suffered in recent years from landslides and flooding caused by extreme weather events, partly due to climate change.