Extreme levels of rainfall in the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil have claimed at least 79 lives in recent days. Many of them have died in landslides.
On Sunday, the rain subsided and extensive rescue work resulted in the number of confirmed deaths almost doubling. Authorities say it is unclear how many are missing.
“We still do not have an exact figure, but there are still reports of victims not being found,” Pernambuco Governor Paulo Camara told a news conference.
With boats and helicopters, more than a thousand rescue workers search in the affected areas, before the torrential rains are expected to pick up speed again on Monday.
Nearly 4,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and about 32,000 families in Pernambuco are estimated to live in areas at risk of landslides or floods, according to authorities.
Huge rainstorms, with floods and landslides as a result, have claimed hundreds of lives in Brazil over the past year.