Severe floods in Brazil kill at least 44 people and force thousands
to abandon their homes.
Officials said 250,000 homes had lost power and at least three towns had to
ration water to cope with purification problems.

REUTERS -
By helicopter and by boat, rescue teams search submerged streets in
Southern Brazil...looking for residents stranded by rising floodwaters.

At least 44 people have died after days of torrential rain. The storms have
triggered mudslides that buried homes and floods that forced twenty thousand
people to evacuate.

Dozens in the soaked state of Santa Catarina awaited news from missing
relatives...this man was still looking for his son.

Unidentified man whose son went missing, saying (Portugese):
"I still have hopes of finding him. Idon't know how, but I still
have hopes of finding him."

Officials said 250,000 homes had lost power and at least three towns had to
ration water to cope with purification problems.

This as military planes stocked with medicine, water, food and clothing
headed for the worst hit regions on Monday...where driving rain has already
claimed so much.

Katharine Jackson, Reuters.