Floods and landslides kill dozens in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and a state of emergency is declared in six cities

Weather of Arabia - Heavy rains in coastal areas in southeastern Brazil caused floods and landslides, killing 36 people and displacing hundreds of others, according to the Sao Paulo state authorities on Sunday.

The state government has recorded at least 35 deaths in Sao Sebastiao. The mayor of Ubatuba, which is about 80 km northeast of Sao Sebastiao, said a young girl was killed and that hundreds had been displaced or evacuated.

The weather forecast showed that heavy rains will continue in the coastal area of Sao Paulo, posing a challenge to rescue teams and increasing the possibility of a high death toll, as rescue efforts continue to search for victims, and open closed roads that trapped a number of tourists who traveled to the region to attend the Carnival celebrations. .

The municipalities of São Sebastião, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga were the most affected by the floods and landslides.

(The highway was closed due to a landslide in the municipality of Ubatuba on the northern coast of Sao Paulo state. Source: Ubatuba Civil Defense / AFP)

Read also: Landslides .. What are they and why do they occur?

Declare a state of emergency

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

Officials say 228 people have been left homeless, with another 338 being evacuated from coastal areas north of Sao Paulo.

Carnival events have been canceled across the northern coast, a popular destination for wealthy tourists looking to avoid the huge street-side festivities in the big cities. The carnival usually lasts for five days, in the period leading up to the Great Christian Lent festival, and is one of the most famous things that Brazil is famous for.

Describing the disaster, Felipe Augusto, the mayor of Sao Sebastiao, said dozens were missing in the town and about 50 houses collapsed and were swept away by water, adding that the situation remained "very critical".

Television footage showed homes flooded with only the roof visible. Residents were seen using small boats to transport items and people to higher locations. Landslides and flood waters closed a road linking Rio de Janeiro to the port city of Santos.

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

More than 600 mm of rain in one day

The Sao Paulo state government said rainfall in the region exceeded 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) in one day, one of the highest amounts ever seen in Brazil in such a short period.

Operations at the port of Santos, Latin America's largest, were halted amid gusts exceeding 55 km/h (34 mph) and waves over a meter high on Saturday.

More heavy rains are expected in the area, threatening to make conditions even worse for emergency teams.

It is noteworthy that last year, heavy rains in the city of Petropolis, in the southeast of the country, killed more than 230 people.

Related topics: dead and missing in landslides due to heavy rains in the Brazilian city of Petropolis.. video