Eight killed in mudslides outside Rio de Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Eight people were killed by mudslides in the hills near the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro after heavy rain swept away flimsy homes in a poor district, rescue workers said on Sunday.

A duty official at the Rio state civil defense service said the amount of rainfall in less than one hour on Saturday night exceeded the average of three weeks in the Itaipava region, less than an hour's drive from Rio.

Most of those killed were women and children. The mountainous resort area has many villas used as summer retreats by the rich, but also humble, slum-like dwellings built on hillside slopes without proper permits.

Last year, nearly 30 people died in mudslides in another area near Rio under similar circumstances.

This year's tragedy coincided with Carnival festivities in the state capital, Rio. Rains caused minor flooding in some parts of the city, but street processions and preparations for two nights of glitzy parades on Sunday and Monday continued.