Brazil flooding and landslides blamed for dozens of deaths

Heavy rains in the coastal region of southeastern Brazil triggered floods and landslides that killed 36 people and displaced hundreds more, according to a statement from Sao Paulo state authorities on Sunday.

Rescue workers continue to search for victims, reconnect isolated communities and clear roads, some of which remain blocked, trapping countless tourists traveling for Brazil’s Carnival celebrations.

Footage shared by the Sao Paulo state government shows damaged roads and flooded streets in the country’s northern coastal region.

Weather forecasts indicate heavy rains will continue in Sao Paulo’s coastal areas, challenging civil defense and fire department rescue teams and raising the prospect of higher casualties.

The Sao Paulo state government said on Sunday that 35 were killed in the city of Sao Sebastiao and a seven-year-old girl was killed in neighboring Ubatuba. These and other hard-hit cities canceled their Carnival celebrations as rescue teams scrambled to find the missing, injured and feared dead.

The federal government implemented several ministries to help the victims, restore infrastructure and start reconstruction work.

The state of Sao Paulo declared a 180-day state of emergency for six cities after what experts described as an unprecedented extreme weather event.

Parts of the country receive more than 580 millimeters (23 inches) of rain in a single day.

On Monday, Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas will meet with federal officials as they coordinate the response to the tragedy, the government said.

Operations at the port of Santos, Latin America’s largest, were disrupted by strong winds and waves over one meter high on Saturday, according to local news outlets.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is throwing a carnival in Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia, will visit the affected areas on Monday, his office said.