Brasilia: Search and rescue operations continue in Brazil after the storm devastated the north coast of the southeastern state of Sao Paulo over the weekend, with the number of deaths having risen to 54, Brazilian media reported.
Previous reports put the death toll at 46 people and missing at 49.
The municipality of Sao Sebastiao has suffered the most, as 53 out of the confirmed 54 victims died there, the G1 news agency reported.
The authorities managed to confirm the identities of 38 victims, of whom 13 were children. The search and rescue operation for 30 people gone missing continues, the report said.
Over the last weekend, Sao Paulo was hit by rainfall with a record 600 millimeters of precipitation in some areas. Rescue works are primarily concentrated on the southern coast of Sao Sebastiao.
According to the Sao Paulo authorities, 766 people were left homeless in the region due to floods and landslides, and 1,730 people were evacuated from the affected areas. Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas declared a state of emergency in several municipalities of the state.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his condolences to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over the deadly floods that hit Sao Paulo.
