NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL — At least six people died in heavy rains across northeastern Brazil, prompting the National Center for Risk and Disaster Management to raise its operational level to maximum alert on Saturday. The deaths were reported in the states of Pernambuco and Paraiba after two days of rain.

The center issued 22 emergency alerts during the rain. The ministry reported that rain had eased on Saturday and urged continued vigilance.

In Pernambuco state, flooding and landslides were reported in the capital, Recife, where at least two people were confirmed killed. Two more people were killed in Olinda. About 1,500 people were displaced by the storms in the state.

In Paraiba state, at least two people were confirmed killed, with Joao Pessoa and Campina Grande among the cities affected. About 1,500 people were displaced by the heavy rains in the state.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke with local authorities to offer support. "The government continues to monitor the situation to provide all necessary assistance," Lula da Silva said.

A study released last year by the Brazilian Alliance for Ocean Culture found that rain disasters, including flooding and landslides, tripled in Brazil from 1991 to 2023. Brazil has experienced several major flood events in recent years. In February, at least 64 people were killed in floods and landslides in Minas Gerais state. In 2024, at least 183 people were killed in flooding in Rio Grande do Sul state. In 2022, 233 people were killed in flooding in the city of Petropolis in southeastern Brazil.