Brazilian authorities say the death toll from last week's floods and mudslides in the state of Rio de Janeiro has climbed to at least 246.
Officials said Tuesday that more than 150 people are still missing, and thousands of survivors have been moved from shantytowns into temporary housing.
Flood damage has also cut off access to the iconic "Christ the Redeemer" statue atop Corcovado Mountain. Officials said the park will be closed indefinitely while workers repair roads and rail lines.
Last week's floods were the result of record rainfall in the area. Slums built on hillsides surrounding the city were destroyed. Officials have begun to raze some of the destroyed homes.
Brazilian officials have announced an emergency fund of $112 million to help Rio state cope with the disaster.
Heavy rains in December and January also triggered flooding and mudslides that killed dozens of people in Rio state, including 10 who died when a mudslide struck a resort hotel.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
