Brazil's Acre River bursts its banks leaving 12,000 families displaced from their homes following torrential rain and devastating landslides

At least 12,000 families have been displaced from their homes after torrential rains caused rivers and streams to overflow, the Brazilian state of Acre said.

The government said on Tuesday that 17 of the state’s 22 municipalities remained under a state of emergency caused by the devastating rainfall.

Jordão has been the most affected by floods as 80 percent of its population was forced to shelter - while heavy rain continued to flood the surroundings. 

At least 23 indigenous communities that lie across the interior of Acre have also been affected by flooding, which has submerged homes and businesses. 

Dozens of people have already been confirmed dead across parts of Brazil following the cataclysmic downpours in February - and the toll is tragically expected to rise.  

Epitaciolândia is one of the 17 cities in the northwestern Brazilian state of Acre that have been under a state of emergency after torrential rains caused rivers and streams to overflow. The government said Tuesday that more than 11,500 people remain displaced from their homes 

A church was partially submerged following flooding from heavy rain that causied the Acre River's bank to burst in Brasileia, Brazil on Sunday

The state health department office was flooded after the Acre River overflowed in Acre, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Acre

A 20-year-old man, identified a Elias Lima, was reported missing after he was swept away while swimming with friends in a stream as rain drenched the city of Rio Branco on Sunday.

Authorities initiated a search Monday and Lima was still unaccounted for as of Tuesday evening. 

Flooding in the city of Brasiléia, more than 124 miles west of Rio Branco, the state capital, cause the Acre River’s water level to rise to 49.5 feet by midday Tuesday.

The water overflowed the José Augusto Metal Bridge, dumping waste across it. The bridge, which links Brasiléia with the city of Epitaciolândia, has been closed to traffic since Sunday. 

The José Augusto Metal Bridge also connects Brasiléia with Assis Brasil, a border town across from Peru.

Several young man were seen swimming in a stream in Rio Branco on Sunday before a 20-year-old identified as Elias Lima was dragged by a current. He remained missing as of Tuesday

Road closures meant for authorities to transport 30 patients on canoes from Epitaciolândia and Xapuri to Brasiléia on Monday to ensure that they received their scheduled dialysis treatments on Monday.

The flooding in Acre came after the southern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro suffered floods across several cities after the area was slammed by heavy rain between Wednesday and Thursday.

A 29-year-old man with dreams of one day becoming a fireman prevented three more when he rescued a woman and her one-year-old twin daughters trapped in their family car moments before the vehicle was swept away.

Residents in the municipality of Paracambi held a demonstration at city hall on Sunday, protesting over the local government slow respond to remove debris from the streets.

This follows news that at least 40 people have been confirmed dead after the northern coast of São Paulo was hit by flooding and landslides last weekend.

The São Paulo state government reported that 39 residents, including a nine-month-old baby, were killed in the municipality of Sao Sebastião.

A seven-year-old girl was found dead under a rock at her home in the nearby city of Ubatuba.

The storm struck between Saturday and Sunday and displaced 1,730 residents and left 766 homeless, according to the São Paulo state government.

Rescue teams were working around clock Monday in search of at least 36 residents, who were reported missing in the cities of Barra do Sahy and Juquehy.