<p>Heavy rains caused serious flooding in southern <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/brazil" target="_blank">Brazil </a>on Thursday, where rescuers in the southern state of Santa Catarina were dispatched to help evacuate hundreds of families trapped in their homes.</p>.<p>Video footage provided by Santa Catarina's civil defence unit showed helicopters flying over muddy water that had submerged houses up to the roofline.</p>.<p>Helicopters hovered above some houses so firefighters could lift families to safety. Over 880 people have been evacuated so far, authorities said.</p>.<p>Santa Catarina officials called on people to avoid road travel, as a state of emergency was declared in several cities.</p>.<p>Flooding at this time of the year around Brazil is common and has caused devastation for decades.</p>.<p>In February, 94 people died in mudslides after heavy rains in the historic Brazilian mountain town of Petropolis, near Rio de Janeiro.</p>
<p>Heavy rains caused serious flooding in southern <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/brazil" target="_blank">Brazil </a>on Thursday, where rescuers in the southern state of Santa Catarina were dispatched to help evacuate hundreds of families trapped in their homes.</p>.<p>Video footage provided by Santa Catarina's civil defence unit showed helicopters flying over muddy water that had submerged houses up to the roofline.</p>.<p>Helicopters hovered above some houses so firefighters could lift families to safety. Over 880 people have been evacuated so far, authorities said.</p>.<p>Santa Catarina officials called on people to avoid road travel, as a state of emergency was declared in several cities.</p>.<p>Flooding at this time of the year around Brazil is common and has caused devastation for decades.</p>.<p>In February, 94 people died in mudslides after heavy rains in the historic Brazilian mountain town of Petropolis, near Rio de Janeiro.</p>