SAO PAULO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least two people have died due to heavy rains that have lashed southern Brazil's Santa Catarina state since last week, the state Civil Defense agency confirmed Monday.
Some 132 municipalities registered emergencies sparked by excessive rainfall caused by the El Nino climate phenomenon, the agency said in a statement.
About 4,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, said the agency.
The government of Santa Catarina announced aid for 39,552 families affected by the rains and floods.
The federal government is ready to send aid to the state, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Last month, the neighboring state of Rio Grande do Sul saw as many as 51 deaths due to extreme weather brought on by an extratropical cyclone. ■
