Weather

At least 18 dead in Brazil rains

Sao Paulo, Jan 31 (EFE).- The death toll from torrential rains in the most populous Brazilian state has risen to 18, Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria said.

The Sao Paulo governor told reporters Sunday that the rescuers searched for four missing persons.

Nine people have suffered injuries, while about 500 families had to leave their homes due to the storms.

A woman and her two children died after their house collapsed in a landslide in the town of Embú das Artes.

Five members of the same family lost their lives in the city of Várzea Paulista, in the interior of São Paulo, after part of a slope collapsed and buried their house.

Authorities have put the state of some 42 million inhabitants on alert.

The fire department said at least 11 municipalities suffered landslides, floods, overflowing rivers, and tree falls.

The department also reported infrastructure damage in the worst-hit areas.

Met officials warned that heavy rains in various parts of the state would continue until Tuesday.

Amid the state of alert, the city of Sao Paulo suspended anti-coronavirus vaccination against covid-19 this Sunday to guarantee safety.

Summer storms are a common phenomenon in Brazil between October and February and, in recent weeks, have left several dead and wreaked havoc in at least four states of the country. EFE

nbo/ssk

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