Brasilia, Feb 25 : The death toll from landslides caused by heavy rains on the coast of Brazil's Sao Paulo state has increased to 54, as rescuers continue to search for dozens of missing people under mountains of mud, officials confirmed.

The municipalities of Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Caraguatuatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga were the most severely affected by the rainfall, which in less than 24 hours was twice as heavy as expected for all of February, marking a new record in Brazil.

The rains caused landslides in the Serra do Mar mountain range along the coast, where key tourist resorts are located, sweeping away homes in poor neighborhoods on the hillsides, where about 4,000 people fled or lost their homes.

The disaster is focused in Vila do Sahy, the most affected community, located next to the exclusive beaches of Baleia and Camburi, in the municipality of Sao Sebastiao.