RIO DE JANEIRO, May 5 (RIA Novosti) - Around 130,000
people have been affected by flash floods in the northern
Brazilian state of Maranhao, the country's Civil Defense
service said on Tuesday.
Local officials said at least 14 people had died in the
floods and 70,000 people were left homeless, international
media reported.
The region has been battered by heavy rains for more than
four weeks. A state of emergency has been introduced in 29
cities and towns across the state.
Power cuts and a lack of fresh drinking water have been
reported in the disaster zone. Two national highways have been
partially flooded.
The Brazilian government has sent about 115 metric tons of food
and 75,000 sets of clothes and bed sheets in humanitarian aid.
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