At least 19 people died in torrential rains in Brazil. The storm caused flooding and landslides on the Atlantic coast of São Paulo state.
Several hundred people were left homeless and roads were blocked. According to media reports, children were among the dead. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas declared a state of emergency in five affected communities. The army used helicopters to rescue the victims.
The hardest hit was São Sebastião, where many people from São Paulo, about 200 kilometers away, spent the Carnival weekend. According to the city administration, 60 centimeters of rain fell in 24 hours. The mayor of the city, Felipe Augusto, spoke of an “extremely critical” situation and the carnival events were cancelled.