It is the scale of the tragedy in the mountainous Serrana region, north of Rio de Janeiro, this week that is unusual after around a month's rainfall fell on the worst hit towns in a few devastating hours.
The towns of Nova Friburgo, Teresopolis and Petropolis, where most of the deaths occurred, nestle amid Atlantic forest and are popular retreats for wealthy Brazilian city-dwellers and climbers alike.
But sitting around 3,000ft above sea level and with only a shallow layer of top soil covering a thick layer of impermeable bedrock, heavy rains and waterlogging can quickly cause instability.
After the soil becomes sodden and loosens it starts to slide down the slope and can lead to tons of mud hurtling down the hillside as happened in the early hours of Wednesday.
The fact that the mudslides began at around 3am as young and old alike were sleeping only compounded the tragedy with many of those killed buried alive in their beds.
And as the heavy rain continued to fall, streets became flooded with the surging waters carrying away cars, animals and people.
The previous most deadly natural disaster in Brazil, which caused around 430 deaths in Sao Paulo state in 1967, also involved mudslides and as recently as April last year more than 200 people died in Rio state following floods and mudslides.
Speaking in Rio on Thursday after flying over the affected region and visiting the town of Nova Friburgo, President Dilma Rousseff highlighted the need to prevent homes being built precariously at the base of steep hills without planning permission.
"Housing in areas of risk is the rule in Brazil rather than the exception," she said. "When there aren't housing policies, where are people who earn no more than twice the minimum wage going to live?" Stopping the construction of such homes and improving Brazil's record in attempting to prevent such tragedies claiming so many lives will be a major test for her government.