Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides that killed 36 people in the northern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, officials said Sunday, and the death toll may rise. The Sao Paulo state government said in a statement that 35 died in the city of Sao Sebastiao and a seven-year-old girl was killed in neighboring Ubatuba.
The towns of Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga, some of the hardest hit and now in a state of disaster, have canceled their carnival celebrations as rescue teams try to find the missing, injured and feared dead in the rubble. “Our rescue teams are unable to reach several locations; it’s a chaotic situation,” said Felipe Augusto, mayor of Sao Sebastiao. He later added that dozens of people were missing and that 50 houses had collapsed in the city due to landslides.
Augusto posted several videos on social media of the widespread destruction in his town, including one of children rescued by local residents lined up on a flooded street.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Twitter that he would visit the region on Monday. The Sao Paulo state government said in a statement that rainfall in the region exceeded 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) in one day, one of the highest amounts ever seen in such a short period of time in Brazil.
Bertioga alone had 687 millimeters during that period, the state government said. Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said in a statement that he had asked for support from the military, which sent two planes and rescue teams to the region.
Television footage showed flooded houses with only the roof visible. The inhabitants use small boats to transport goods and people to higher positions. The road that connects Rio de Janeiro to the port city of Santos has been blocked by landslides and flooding. The northern coast of the state of Sao Paulo is a frequent carnival destination for wealthy tourists who prefer to avoid the massive street parties of the big cities.
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