Death toll from Brazil flooding and landslides rises to 113

Torrents of floodwaters and mudslides dragged cars and houses through the streets of the city on Tuesday during the most intense rainfall in decades

Soldiers look for survivors on the second day of rescue efforts (Silvia Izquierdo/AP)

The death toll from floods and landslides that swept down on the Brazilian mountain city of Petropolis has risen to at least 113, with 116 people still unaccounted for.

The Rio de Janeiro state government confirmed the increasing loss of life, with many feared buried in mud beneath the German-influenced city nestled in the mountains above the city of Rio de Janeiro.