Flooding in South America by Cecelia Daly
Renewed rains in Brazil brought floods and mudslides that have killed at least five people, pushing the country’s storm-related death toll since the start of December past forty, according to civil defence officials.
Tens of thousands of people across the region have been forced to abandon their homes for temporary shelter in churches, schools, gymnasiums and other public buildings.
In Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state, four rivers breached their banks and three people were killed in mudslides on Sunday.
In Minas Gerais state, a sprawling industrial and farming area just north of Rio, several municipalities were under a state of emergency. A total of 20 cities located in the southern region of Minas Gerais State have been experiencing heavy rains and floods for two weeks.
Meanwhile to the west of Brazil in neighbouring Peru, over two weeks of severe flooding continues to affect thousands in the north-eastern provinces of Huánuco and San Martin.
In the latest report from the National Institute of Civil Defence on Monday, some 4,500 people are now estimated to have lost their homes and all of their belongings, whilst a further 33,000 have been forced to evacuate their homes, or have had property damaged in the rising waters, since the Huallaga River burst its banks at the end of December.
Local weather forecasters have predicted intermittent showers, some thundery, are likely to continue until mid-January.
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