Brazilian state declares emergency after storms

A southern Brazilian state declared emergency Monday amid storm-caused massive flooding that has displaced more than 20,000 people. The decision was announced after Institutional Relations Minister Ideli Salvati and National Integration Minister Fernando Bezerra and Governor Raimundo Colombo of Santa Catarina state flew over several towns affected by the floods. The state may be eligible for federal aid, Bezerra said, noting funds to rebuild roads and bridges would "certainly be necessary." As many as 71 towns in Santa Catarina have been affected by the floods, hail and landslide, resulted from days of storms, according to the latest reports by the local Civil Defense services. Classes were canceled in 52 towns and 4,000 houses were damaged. Santa Catarina is prone to floods, especially during the wet winter months. It saw its worst natural disaster in 2008 after a month of heavy storms led to massive flooding that affected more than one million people, killed 135 people and left 5,000 homeless. Some 150,000 people were left without electricity for days. In September 2011, heavy storms killed six people, led to the evacuation of 26,000, destroyed some 2,000 houses and forced 83 towns to declare a state of emergency.