Severe storm claims six lives, wreaks havoc in Brazil

Six people have died to date due to a severe storm lashing the country's most populated and industrialized southeastern state of Sao Paulo, authorities said.

The deaths were caused by toppled walls, flooding, and landslides sparked by heavy rains and winds of up to 151 km per hour on Friday afternoon and evening, Xinhua reported citing the government of Sao Paulo statement.

The storm forced the Congonhas Airport in the city of Sao Paulo to close for an hour and wreaked havoc, ripping the roof off of a grandstand set up for Brazil's Formula One Grand Prix, which will be held on Sunday.

Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides in northeast Brazil and Sao Paulo state threatened to delay harvests in the midwest and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais.