Death toll from flooding in Brazil rises to 24

Muhammed Emin Canik

BUENOS AIRES (AA) - The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia rose to 24 Wednesday, with around 630,000 people affected by the natural disaster.

The local Civil Defense and Protection Observatory said in a statement that 24 people have lost their lives due to the continuous rains since November while the number of injured has reached 434.

It noted that more than 37,000 people have lost their homes and nearly 54,000 have been evacuated.

In addition, 141 cities have been affected in the state, which is home to over 15 million people, the statement said, adding 132 cities declared a state of emergency.

Some 37 cities in southern Bahia were completely submerged as a result of the flooding.

Bahia Governor Rui Costa said the state was hit simultaneously by COVID-19 as well as the natural disaster and all vaccines and medication in some cities became unusable.