Heavy rain triggered floods and landslides in Brazil, killing at least 36 people and casting a pall over the country’s annual carnival festivities.
The hardest-hit regions – Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga – had to abruptly cancel public parades in order to rescue survivors.
Pictures from some of the worst-hit areas showed entire neighbourhoods inundated in water with only roofs visible of some houses, while highways and roads remained cut off with fallen trees.