Widespread floods following incessant rains have killed at least 86 people, leaving more than 30 missing and 55,000 homeless in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, civil defense officials said Wednesday.

Rescue teams had been working since the early hours of the day searching for and rescuing victims of mudslides and floods, even as the disaster prompted President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to visit the region Wednesday.

Authorities said the floods, triggered by days of rain, are the worst-ever in the state, having affected 1.5 million people, or a quarter of Santa Catarina's total population.

Eight cities in the northeast of the state were isolated, as bridges collapsed and roads were blocked by floods and mudslides. Some 240,000 people were left without electricity or water.

On Tuesday night, four helicopters rescued 160 people who had been marooned when a part of hill near the city of Ilhota crumbled and blocked the roads in the area.

Itajai port, the largest in the state, has been paralyzed since last weekend. Floodwaters also damaged a section of the Brazil-Bolivia natural gas pipeline, leaving many without cooking gas or vehicular fuel.

Over 600 troops from the Brazilian Army, the Federal Highway Police, and the National Force of Public Safety were working to rescue people isolated by floodwaters and stop looting in the region.

President Lula announced the release of 1.6 billion reais (707 million US dollars) to the affected areas after visiting the region Wednesday. Of this, one billion reais (442 million US dollars) will go to Santa Catarina.

On Tuesday, the Transportation Ministry announced the release of 40 million reais (17.6 million US dollars) to repair the federal highways, several stretches of which were blocked or destroyed by mudslides.

Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao said 100 million reais (44 million US dollars) will be used to rebuild hospitals and clinics damaged by the rain. He also announced that doctors and nurses from other states, as well as 17 tons of medicine, are being sent to Santa Catarina.

A huge shipment of relief materials also is on its way to Santa Catarina, including several motor boats, 12 tons of clothes and staple foods, officials said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2008)