Brazilian Coast Devastated by Deadly Storms in São Paulo
At least 36 people have been killed by heavy flooding and landslides in the Brazilian state of So Paulo, causing some cities to cancel their annual Carnival celebrations.
Video footage revealed flooded neighborhoods, flooded highways, and debris left behind after houses were swept away.
Teams have struggled to reach survivors and clear blocked roads.
In some areas, more than 600mm (23.6 inches) of rain fell on Sunday, which is twice the average amount for the month.
“Search and rescue teams are unable to reach several locations; the situation is chaotic,” said Felipe Augusto, the mayor of the devastated town of So Sebastio.
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“We have yet to determine the extent of the damage. We are endeavoring to save the victims.”
Mr. Augusto added that the situation remained “extremely critical” with dozens of people still unaccounted for and approximately 50 homes destroyed or washed away.
The state government reported at least 35 deaths in So Sebastio, and the mayor of Ubatuba, 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the north-northeast, reported the death of a young girl. Hundreds of people have been relocated and evacuated.
“Unfortunately, there will be many more deaths,” a civil defense official told Folha de So Paulo newspaper.
In the meantime, officials report that an additional 228 people have been rendered homeless and 338 more have been evacuated from coastal regions north of So Paulo.
Six cities in the state were declared to be in a state of disaster for 180 days: So Sebastio, Caraguatatuba, Ilhabela, Ubatuba, Guarujá, and Bertioga.
Governor Tarcsio de Freitas announced that he had released $1.5 million (£1.2 million) for disaster relief.
Carnival events were canceled along the entire northern coastline, a popular destination for affluent tourists seeking to avoid massive street parties in major cities.
The festival typically lasts five days in the lead-up to the Christian festival of Lent, and its colorful celebrations are a symbol of Brazil.
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Local media reported that the largest port in Latin America, Santos, was also closed due to winds exceeding 55 kilometers per hour (34 miles per hour) and waves exceeding one meter.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who spent the weekend of Carnival in the northeastern state of Bahia, stated that he would visit the affected areas on Monday.
In a tweet, he expressed his condolences to those who had lost loved ones and promised to coordinate the deployment of medical personnel and rescue teams.
Mr. da Silva wrote, “We will bring together all levels of government and, with the support of society, treat the injured, search for the missing, and restore highways, power connections, and communications in the region.”
More heavy precipitation is expected in the region, posing a threat to exacerbate the situation for emergency teams.
As the impacts of climate change take hold, it is anticipated that extreme weather events, such as floods, will become more frequent.
More than 230 people were killed by torrential rain in the southeastern city of Petropolis last year.
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