36 killed in a flood in Brazil. The search continues for dozens of missing persons

SAO SEBASTIO, BRAZIL (AP) Hundreds of rescuers Monday searched for survivors of landslides and floods that killed at least 36 people along the coast of Brazil’s southern state of Sao Paulo after heavy rains over the weekend.

The city of São Sebastião was the worst, with at least 35 people killed. In neighboring Ubatuba, a 7-year-old girl was killed. The disaster, in a region famous for beaches surrounded by mountains, has led many cities to cancel Carnival festivities now in full swing elsewhere in the country..

Governor Tarcisio de Freitas told Globo TV that another 40 people were missing. His state government said in a statement that nearly 800 people are homeless and 1,730 people have been displaced.

Television footage showed houses flooded with only their roofs visible. Residents used small boats to transport things and people to higher locations.

A woman who gave only her first name, Melissa, said she, her husband, daughter and grandson barely escaped when a landslide destroyed her home in the Joquihe municipality of São Sebastião. The house was partially submerged, parts had fallen over and the rest was left sitting precariously on a hill ledge.

“It was very fast. “You either run or you die,” she said. “It is not possible to take anything, only your life, which is the most important thing.”

Elements of the armed forces joined the search and rescue efforts, which were exacerbated by the difficulty of accessing many areas after landslides blocked winding roads in the region’s highlands and floods washed away parts of the docks in the low-lying and oceanfront areas.

Our rescue teams were unable to reach several locations. “It’s a chaotic situation,” Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto said on social media late Sunday night.

About 50 houses collapsed in the city due to landslides, Augusto said, and posted several videos of the destruction and search efforts, including a baby boy being rescued by locals in a row on a flooded street.

Landslides and flood waters closed the highway linking Rio de Janeiro state with the coastal city of Santos in Sao Paulo. De Freitas said the damage was extensive, and the highway may no longer exist.

Rainfall in São Sebastião exceeded 600 mm (23.6 in) in a 24-hour period over the weekend, among the largest such rainfall ever recorded in such a short period in Brazil.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the region on Monday. He observed the damage in São Sebastião from a helicopter and met Governor de Freitas at the São Sebastião Theatre, where searches are being coordinated.

Lula called for people living in hilly areas to be moved to safer areas. “Every now and then nature surprises us, but we challenge nature many times,” Lula told reporters in São Sebastião.

De Freitas declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit cities, including São Sebastião, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga, allowing for an expedited allocation of funds for relief. He said seven million riyals ($1.35 million) had already been released. On Monday, the governor also declared three days of official mourning across the state of Sao Paulo.

Heavy rains affected water, electricity and telephone services, according to a statement from the state government, which posted on Twitter a video showing the transport of 30,000 liters of water to São Sebastião. Hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses and medical supplies have also been sent.

Integration and Regional Development Minister Valdez Joyce said on Twitter that experts are already looking into plans for reconstruction. “In the coming days, we will work on the reconstruction of bridges, public buildings, housing units and all damaged public infrastructure,” said Joyce.

The affected area, on the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, is a frequent carnival destination for wealthy tourists who prefer to get away from the massive street parties in the big cities.

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Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro.