Heavy rains cause flooding, ‘crisis’ in Rio de Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Heavy rains blamed for the deaths of at least three people continued to fall on Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday as officials closed schools and urged people to avoid non-essential traffic.
Torrents of water gushed down streets, sweeping up cars and uprooting trees following rains that began around rush hour Monday evening. Mayor Marcelo Crivella said the Brazilian city faced a “crisis.”
City officials said 6 inches (152 millimeters) of rain fell in just four hou