RIO DE JANEIRO, April 28 (RIA Novosti) - Three people have died in floods in northeast Brazil's Maranhao state, and 60,000 have been affected, the country's Civil Defense service said on Tuesday.
The state has been battered by heavy rains for the past three weeks. Officials say that at least 500 houses have been completely destroyed.
People who were forced to flee their homes are being evacuated to schools and hospitals.
A state of emergency has been introduced in 12 towns across the state.
More than 100 people died and over 78,000 were left homeless during flooding in southern Brazil in December.
