Brazilian Government Cancels Carnival After Heavy Rain Leaves Dozens Dead

In the north of Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, heavy rain produced flooding and landslides that killed 36 people, according to officials.

In a statement, the state government of Sao Paulo stated that 35 people perished in Sao Sebastiao and one young child, age 7, perished in nearby Ubatuba.

As rescue workers battled to locate those who were missing, hurt, or thought to be dead amid the wreckage, the cities of São Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela, and Bertioga postponed their Carnival celebrations. Later, he said that 50 houses in the city collapsed as a result of the landslides and that there are dozens of people missing.

“Our rescue teams are not managing to get to several locations; it is a chaotic situation,” said Felipe Augusto, the mayor of Sao Sebastiao.

Many videos of the extensive damage in Mr. Augusto’s city were shared on social media, one of which showed a baby being saved by residents gathered in a line on a street that was covered by water.

The region affected by the heavy rain will be visited on Monday, according to tweets from Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil.

In a statement, the state administration of Sao Paulo noted that the area had received more than 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) of precipitation in a single day, one of the greatest totals ever recorded in Brazil for a single day.

At that time, the state government reported 687 millimeters in Bertioga alone.

The army responded to the governor’s plea for assistance by dispatching two aircraft and rescue crews to the area, according to a statement from governor Tarcisio de Freitas.

Read Also: Germany Flood: 9 Dead 70 missing in Germany as houses collapse in heavy rain

In TV images, just the roofs of flooded homes could be seen. Small boats are being used by locals to transport supplies and people to higher places. Landslides and flooding closed a road that runs between Rio de Janeiro and the port city of Santos.

For wealthier visitors who prefer to avoid the raucous street parties in big cities, the northern shore of Sao Paulo state is a popular Carnival destination.