( CNN ) -- Heavy rains and flooding in Brazil have caused 260 deaths in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo , CNN affiliate TV Record reported Wednesday . The greatest damage was in a cluster of towns in a mountainous area northeast of the city of Rio from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning , where civil defense officials said 147 lost their lives . That included 114 people reported killed in Teresopolis by a mudslide , local officials told CNN . Some 1,000 others were left without shelter and were being moved to a local gym and schools . And , in nearby Petropolis , 18 deaths were recorded , the state government said , according to Agencia Brasil . Three deaths were reported in Itaipava , while in Nova Friburgo there were 12 . Among the victims in Rio state were three firefighters who were involved in rescue operations when they were buried by a subsequent mudslide , Agencia Brasil reported . A fourth firefighter was missing . Nearly 75,000 people were without power in the region as a result of the heavy storms . Teresopolis Mayor Jorge Mario Sedlacek declared his city a natural disaster area . He told CNN affiliate TV Globo that at least 80 rescuers have been sent to the region . Meanwhile , in the state of Sao Paulo , at least 24 people were dead as heavy rain continued to batter parts of the state , authorities said . It has been raining since January 1 , and the deluge could continue until the end of the week , forecasters have said . The flooding has caused mudslides , officials said Tuesday . The Mairipora Dam gave way , adding to the woes in the area , said Ramos Junior , a captain at the Sao Paulo Civil Fire Department . Sao Jose dos Campos , about 100 kilometers ( 62 miles ) from the city of Sao Paulo , has been hardest hit by the flooding , Junior said . In January last year , heavy rains caused dozens of deaths in Brazil 's southeast coast . Torrential rains caused deadly mudslides in the resort area of the town of Angra dos Reis . Journalist Luciani Gomes and CNN 's Marilia Brocchetto , Rafael Romo and Mariano Castillo contributed to this report .
NEW : There are four reported deaths in state of Rio de Janeiro . Three firefighters are among those dead . It has been happening since August 1 in Sao Paulo state . A dam in the area has given way , adding to the woes .