As of Monday at least 36 deaths have been reported due to the heavy rains, flooding and landslides affecting the Sao Paulo state of San Sebastiao.

Local government has declared a state of alert in the area as entire neighbourhoods are underwater, debris from hillside houses swept away by oozing earth, flooded highways and cars destroyed by fallen trees.

Some 228 people were left homeless and 338 were evacuated to the coastal region north of the city of Sao Paulo.

Aljazeera.