At least 61 dead in rain-hit Brazil towns

At least 61 people were killed when heavy rains triggered landslides and destroyed buildings in towns in a mountainous area near the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, officials said on Wednesday.At least 48 people were killed in Teresopolis, which lies about 62 miles (100 km) north of Rio, the town's mayor said.At least 13 other people were killed in two other towns in the region, rescue officials said. The death toll was expected to rise, with about 50 people believed missing just in Teresopolis, mayor Jorge Mario told Globo television.   "There are 48 dead, and that number will rise because rescue teams are still arriving in the areas that have been worst affected," he said.      The rains caused at least one river to burst its banks, submerging cars and destroying houses in Teresopolis, television images showed. The rains also severely affected the town of Nova Friburgo, where three fireman were missing after being buried by a mudslide while they tried to rescue victims, officials said.Heavy rains, which have swept southeastern Brazil in recent weeks, caused at least 13 deaths in the state of Sao Paulo this week.