Juiz de fora: At least 22 people have died as a result of heavy rains and floods that struck areas in southeastern Brazil, while authorities continue to search for dozens of missing people amid warnings of continued severe weather.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, authorities in the city of Juiz de Fora declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and decided to suspend classes in all municipal schools after at least 16 deaths were recorded in the city, based on preliminary data reported by local media. The city administration also reported that six other people died in the city of Oba, located about 100 kilometers away, after a river overflowed its banks, flooding main streets.

Local authorities have stated that at least 45 people remain missing, while more than 400 have been forced to flee their homes due to flooding and landslides exacerbated by the region’s mountainous terrain. The meteorological service has predicted continued rainfall in the coming days, raising concerns about a worsening humanitarian situation.

Brazilian President Luiz In¡cio Lula da Silva has ordered the immediate mobilization of federal government agencies to support relief efforts. He expressed his condolences to the affected families and affirmed the nation’s solidarity with the victims. Brazilian authorities have declared three days of national mourning for the victims.