7 dead in Brazil heavy rains

RIO DE JANEIRO -- At least seven people were killed and three more still missing due to heavy rains in southern Brazil, the Civil Defense said on Sunday.

The heavy rains left at least four dead and two missing in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, while three died and another was missing in the state of Santa Catarina, it said.

More than 31,000 people in the region have been affected by the rains, and some 1,600 have been evacuated in the face of flooding, it added.

At least 62 of the 295 municipalities in Santa Catarina have been affected, with a state of emergency declared in 17 of them, the Civil Defense said, adding that roads and towns have also been cut off.

The rains and strong winds have also caused problems in the country's most populous state of Sao Paulo, with gusts exceeding 80 kph that knocked down trees in the region.