The death toll keeps rising. According to advanced reports, there are already 48 deaths caused by the heavy rains that hit the coast of the Brazilian state of São Paulo, and 57 people are missing.

Rescue work is mainly concentrated in the city of São Sebastião, where the vast majority of victims of this disaster have been recorded, caused by a record level of rainfall in the country, with more than 680 millimeters in 24 hours.

According to official figures, almost 3,000 people have had to leave their homes for fear of further landslides all along the coast of São Paulo, which is surrounded by mountains that have been occupied irregularly in recent decades and where hundreds of homes are still at risk.

The country's President, Lula da Silva, visited the region on Monday. Through this cooperation, since Monday the population of the cities hit by the rains has begun to receive food, medicine, hygiene products and clothes, which are distributed by members of the Civil Defense and the Armed Forces.

The Brazilian Navy has announced that it will set up a field hospital in São Sebastião and will also move an aircraft carrier to the area, which will serve as a base for helicopters that will take part in rescue and victim care operations.