At least 18 dead in Brazil floods

The port city of Ilheus, a popular tourist spot in the south of Bahia state, was the worst-hit by the flooding.

Local media reported that two dams on the Verruga river had collapsed as a result of the heavy rainfall in the region.

Authorities in the town of Itambe, in Bahia, posted a warning on their Instagram channel, advising citizens living near the river to move to safer ground.

Some 72 towns and cities across the state declared a state of emergency due to the heavy rain, which usually occurs daily during the summer season.