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Brazil flooding claims 45 lives, thousands evacuated
Rescue workers rushed to help residents in flooded towns in southern Brazil on Monday after landslides and floods caused by heavy rain killed at least 45 people and forced 20,000 from their homes.
- Agencies
- Published: 21:27 November 24, 2008
Rio De Janerio: Rescue workers rushed to help residents in flooded towns in southern Brazil on Monday after landslides and floods caused by heavy rain killed at least 45 people and forced 20,000 from their homes.
The state of Santa Catarina declared a state of emergency as rescuers used helicopters and motorboats to help those left stranded by the floods after days of torrential rain.
"Santa Catarina is facing its worst weather tragedy," state Gov. Luis Henrique Silveira told reporters.
The state government said the floods and mudslides had affected 1.5 million people, with 150,000 without electricity and four towns out of the 60 affected completely cut off by flood waters.
"The big challenge on Monday will be supplying the shelters with medicines and food," Blumenau Mayor Joao Paulo Kleinubing said, according to the Civil Defence Agency's Web site.
The first deaths were reported on Saturday after two days of heavy downpours. Forecasters said the rain was expected to ease in the coming days. The Latin American country is in spring season when rains in the southern part of the country are at their heaviest, ending months of usually dry winter weather.
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