RIO DE JANEIRO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and four left missing after heavy rains on Sunday pounded the Brazilian city of Petropolis in southeast Rio de Janeiro state, the Civil Defense agency said on Monday.

       According to the report, the rains sparked mudslides, torrents of water and floods Sunday night, with rains continuing to lash the city on Monday, the weather forecast showed.

       The deaths come a little more than a month after another storm in Petropolis left at least 233 dead and several missing in the mountainous area about 100 km from the city of Rio de Janeiro.