The rain in the state's mountainous region finally stopped Monday, making it easier for rescue workers to continue searching for the bodies of the storms' victims. However, the weather forecast still predicts rain for the next days.

During the weekend, it rained again in the cities damaged by the storms, causing even more damage. Several regions are still blocked by mudslides and are only accessible by helicopters.

The electricity and water distribution has already been reestablished in part of the region, the authorities said. The telephone services are slowly returning to normal as well, but many regions remain without coverage and residents cannot communicate with their relatives to tell them that they are alive.

"We do not have telephones, we cannot contact with the people who want to know if we are well or not," said citizen Lucineia de Oliveira.

Xinhua