The Americas

Storms kill 3 in Brazil; 20,000 evacuated in Paraguay

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Carolina Vera, 13, rides on a boat through a flooded street in the Villa Colorada neighborhood, in Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, April 5, 2019. More than 20,000 people in Paraguay have been evacuated after torrential rains caused extensive flooding. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

With his daughter as passenger, Ramon Gomez, 65, rows a boat through a flooded street in the Santa Rosa de Lima neighborhood, in Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, April 5, 2019. More than 20,000 people in Paraguay have been evacuated after torrential rains caused extensive flooding. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Civil defense officials say heavy rains in northeastern Brazil have killed at least three people and displaced 3,600, while apparently unrelated flooding far to the south in Paraguay has forced some 20,000 people from their homes.

About 3 inches (77 millimeters) of rain fell overnight in the Piaui state capital of Teresina, flooding a neighborhood and killing three.

In neighboring Ceara state, meteorologists say 6.4 inches (162.3 millimeters) of rain fell on the city of Granja so far in April. That's flooded the Coreau River. Meteorologists say rains are expected to continue through Friday.

In Paraguay, emergency officials say about 20,000 people have been forced to evacuate homes in recent days due to rising waters of the Paraguay River, which originates in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul.