Sao Paulo: Floods and landslides caused by heavy rains along the coast of southeast Brazil's Sao Paulo state have claimed 36 lives, authorities said Sunday.

Earlier figure from the state government had put the victim number at 19. Among the victims were a seven-year-old girl who died when a rock fell on top of her family's house and a woman who was killed by a falling tree, local television channel GloboNews reported.

Carnival celebrations were suspended in several coastal cities in Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state currently bustling with tourists due to the celebrations this week.

"We are summoning the Armed Forces to help rescuers reach places where there may be victims," said Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who visited the disaster zone.

The storm mainly affected the municipalities of Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Bertioga, Guaruja, Ilhabela and Santos.

(With UNI inputs)