19 killed in floods and landslides in Brazil

At least 19 people have died due to floods and landslides caused by heavy rains along the coast of southeast Brazil's Sao Paulo state, the Brazilian authorities announced.The storm mainly affected the municipalities of Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Bertioga, Guaruja, Ilhabela and Santos.In Sao Paulo state, television and social media footage from the town of Sao Sebastiao on Sunday showed entire neighbourhoods under water, debris from hillside houses swept away by mud, as well as flooded highways and cars destroyed by fallen trees.Sao Paulo state Governor Tarcisio de Freitas declared a state of emergency in five towns along the coast.His government said 566 people had been displaced or made homeless.Carnival events were canceled in Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga."Our rescue teams are not managing to get to several location; it is a chaotic situation," said Felipe Augusto, Sao Sebastiao's mayor."We are working at nearly 50 residences that collapsed under the force of the water and there are still people buried," he told GloboNews.More than 100 firefighters were working on the scene, with the aid of helicopters, according to local media.Weather forecasts show heavy rains are set to continue in Sao Paulos coastal area, challenging rescue workers and raising the prospect of a higher death toll.