Rio de Janeiro, the picturesque Brazilian city and host for the 2014 World Cup finals and the Olympics two years later, has long had a reputation for violence.

About 1 in every 24 people were victim of some kind of crime last year in Rio state, and despite recent improvements, many wealthy families still bulletproof the windows of their homes for fear of getting caught in crossfire between nearby favelas.

But it looks like there may be another danger awaiting unsuspecting tourists: manholes. Over 60 manholes have erupted since last year, according to calculations by local media, after underground gas explosions caused the heavy metal covers to come flying off and sent flames high into air. Continue reading »