SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
The Cemetery That Is Now a Mass Grave
Jan 17, 2011
As I write, the death toll has reached 641 from the floods and landslides that wiped out much of Brazil's Serrana region of Rio de Janeiro state. Of those, 271 are from Teresopolis, where I have been since Wednesday night of last week.
It's easy - too easy - to get caught up in the phrase "death toll", like it's some abstract numbering of an algorithm. It's not. And I was reminded when I visited the cemetery in Teresopolis. It's been turned into something more like a mass grave.
When we arrived, it was raining, and gravediggers could not dig the holes fast enough to put in coffins. They were literally using a backhoe to dig holes as quickly as possible.
There was no time to put in proper gravestones with the names of the dead. So a lone cemetery worker would write the name on a log, and then when the coffin was dropped in the grave, covered with dirt a wooden cross with a number would be stuck in the ground.
This is what it has come down to in Teresopolis.
The once charming and peaceful hilltop cemetery overlooking lush green mountain hillsides has grown so overcrowded that a judge signed a decree saying old gravesites can be unearthed to make space for the incoming dead.
The cemetery in Teresopolis, Brazil: It was a scene I will never, ever, forget.
Â
My report here:
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
As I write, the death toll has reached 641 from the floods and landslides that wiped out much of Brazil's Serrana region of Rio de Janeiro state. Of those, 271 are from Teresopolis, where I have been since Wednesday night of last week.
It's easy - too easy - to get caught up in the phrase "death toll", like it's some abstract numbering of an algorithm. It's not. And I was reminded when I visited the cemetery in Teresopolis. It's been turned into something more like a mass grave.
When we arrived, it was raining, and gravediggers could not dig the holes fast enough to put in coffins. They were literally using a backhoe to dig holes as quickly as possible.
There was no time to put in proper gravestones with the names of the dead. So a lone cemetery worker would write the name on a log, and then when the coffin was dropped in the grave, covered with dirt a wooden cross with a number would be stuck in the ground.
This is what it has come down to in Teresopolis.
The once charming and peaceful hilltop cemetery overlooking lush green mountain hillsides has grown so overcrowded that a judge signed a decree saying old gravesites can be unearthed to make space for the incoming dead.
The cemetery in Teresopolis, Brazil: It was a scene I will never, ever, forget.
Â
My report here:
As I write, the death toll has reached 641 from the floods and landslides that wiped out much of Brazil's Serrana region of Rio de Janeiro state. Of those, 271 are from Teresopolis, where I have been since Wednesday night of last week.
It's easy - too easy - to get caught up in the phrase "death toll", like it's some abstract numbering of an algorithm. It's not. And I was reminded when I visited the cemetery in Teresopolis. It's been turned into something more like a mass grave.
When we arrived, it was raining, and gravediggers could not dig the holes fast enough to put in coffins. They were literally using a backhoe to dig holes as quickly as possible.
There was no time to put in proper gravestones with the names of the dead. So a lone cemetery worker would write the name on a log, and then when the coffin was dropped in the grave, covered with dirt a wooden cross with a number would be stuck in the ground.
This is what it has come down to in Teresopolis.
The once charming and peaceful hilltop cemetery overlooking lush green mountain hillsides has grown so overcrowded that a judge signed a decree saying old gravesites can be unearthed to make space for the incoming dead.
The cemetery in Teresopolis, Brazil: It was a scene I will never, ever, forget.
Â
My report here:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.