Authorities are rushing to evacuate thousands of people after a
dam burst near the town of Campos de Goytacazes in the state of
Rio de Janeiro. The incident follows intense rain and flooding
which has been affecting the country for some time. In a report
by the BBC, 66 towns and cities have been forced to declare a
state of emergency as flooding has affected in the region of 2
million people so far this year. The water from the burst dam
has caused damage to roads making rescue and evacuation efforts
difficult. Civil defence teams are working to reach the area as
quickly as possible. The Daily Telegraph reports that at least
seven people have died so far in the flooding and mudslides are
an ever present threat. Last year, over 800 people were killed
in flooding and landslides in Brazil at this same time of year,
when the country has its rainy season. The Brazilian government
has spent millions trying to improve flood defences, including
setting up a system to check rainfall and provide an early
warning of pos