At least 18 people have died in mudslides and floods after a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro saw almost a month’s worth of rain fall in just three hours.

The state fire department said more than 180 soldiers were involved in a rescue mission in the city of Petropolis where 25.8cm (just over 10in) fell on Tuesday – close to the same quantity that fell during the previous 30 days combined.

Footage posted on social media showed cars and houses being dragged away by landslides and water swirling through the city and neighbouring districts.

Petropolis city hall said in a statement that the heavy rains left “a high number of incidents and victims” and that rescue and recovery efforts were continuing.

There is concern the death toll will rise significantly in the area, which saw hundreds of deaths from heavy rainfall in 2011.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on a trip to Russia, said on Twitter that he instructed his ministers to deliver immediate support to communities affected.

“May God comfort the family members of the victims,” he wrote.

Related posts:

Gunmen release 27 teenage boys who were kidnapped from boarding school in Nigeria Arrests made after hundreds gather for anti-lockdown protests in Dublin Violence in Myanmar as police open fire killing four protesters Dissident Belarusian journalist appears to praise President Lukashenko in new video Death toll rises to 13 after cyclone sweeps across Oman and Iran China flies record number of warplanes toward Taiwan in show of strength Former FIFA officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini charged with fraud Child among several people killed following ‘IS’ bomb and gun attack outside Kabul hospital Four-year-old Cleo Smith found alive in locked house more than two weeks after going missing ‘Thank you for the music’: Bollywood actors, cricketers and politicians pay tribute to Lata Mangeshkar Russia and France share ‘security concerns’ says Putin during meeting with Macron in Moscow Hundreds gather for funeral of five-year-old boy who died after being trapped in well