At least 20 dead in flash floods in Brazil

By Muhammed Emin Canik

BUENOS AIRES (AA) - The death toll from flash floods in northeastern Brazil since November rose to 20, local authorities said.

Dozens of cities have also been flooded in the state of Bahia, while more than 471,000 people have been affected, a statement by the Superintendence for Protection and Civil Defence of the State of Bahia.

The floods destroyed homes of 31,405 people, while 31,391 have so far been evacuated from the disaster areas, the statement added.

Rui Costa, the state governor, said that Bahia is hit by both the coronavirus pandemic and floods, adding that some medicines and vaccines in some southern cities have become unusable.