Eight people were killed and another 116,000 displaced after unusually heavy rains hit northern Brazil, the authorities said on Saturday.

Officials have declared a state of emergency in some areas where tens of thousands of people have evacuated to avoid Amazon River tributaries that breached their banks.

Firefighters have distributed to 10,000 families food supplied by the the federal government, but more food and drinking water are needed for at least another 8,000 families, officials said.

The national weather institute has predicted rains through Monday in the northern state of Para.

Army troops have been moved to several areas likely to be flooded, officials said.

Source: Xinhua