AFP
The death toll in flash floods on the Portuguese island of Madeira has risen to 40 with more than 70 injured, authorities say, warning that the number is likely to rise.
The regional government issued the new toll on Sunday and said the search for more bodies was going on. Officials said that for the moment no foriegn tourists were among the dead.
Seventeen of the bodies were found in the island's main city, Funchal, and its mayor, Miguel Albuquerque, told reporters: "It is very probable that we will find more bodies."
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Around 250 people had been left homeless, the Civil Protection authorities said on their website.
Torrential rains caused flooding and landslides on Saturday, particularly in the south of Madeira, which is 900km southwest of the Portuguese mainland.
The Portuguese military rushed medical teams and relief supplies to the Atlantic tourist island on Sunday. The main airport was closed, power and telephone lines torn down and authorities told people not to risk their lives by venturing onto the streets.
People left their homes in the main city, Funchal, struggled to keep their feet in torrents of muddy water that poured down the hillsides and out of alleyways, television images showed.
The flash floods destroyed houses and bridges, particularly around Funchal and the Ribeira Brava region, both on the south of the island.
The Portuguese naval frigate Corte-Real set off from Lisbon for Madeira late on Saturday with helicopters, a medical team and relief supplies, a military statement said.
Two helicopters and two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft were also en route. Eighty-nine police and firefighters were to leave Lisbon for Funchal on Sunday.
The head of the regional government held talks late Saturday with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in a bid to get EU aid.
Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva, said King Juan Carlos of Spain had promised any aid needed.
The strong winds and heavy rain caused flooding and landslides, particularly in the south of Madeira, which is 900km southwest of the Portuguese mainland and 500km from the African coast.
Winds exceeding 100km/h, high seas and blocked roads made rescue attempts even more difficult for emergency services, though weather experts said the worst of the storms was over.
Electricity and telephone networks were severed in many areas.
In Funchal, an elderly woman died when the roof of her house caved in and two others were crushed by a crane, local media reported. Several residents were evacuated from their homes.
"I am very worried because I only know what I see from my window," Funchal resident Margarida Freitas Vieira told the Lusa news agency.
"The sea is all brown, there are enormous waves."
By late on Saturday, the town had no electricity and phone lines were also down.
The island's authorities advised people to stay at home and appealed for doctors and other medical staff to come in to help relieve the pressure on overworked hospital staff.
Officials evacuated the lower part of Funchal, which has a population of 100,000.
"It had been raining since dawn and our hotel was evacuated as it is near a river in the city centre," said Aymeric Payan, a French hotel employee in Funchal.
Portuguese media said the storms were the deadliest in Madeira since October 1993, when eight people died. Prime Minister Jose Socrates expressed shock at the deaths and promised support for the islanders.
42 people are reported dead and more than 120 are reported injured on the Portuguese island of Madeira after severe rainstorms triggered floods and mudslides. There are still people missing, and authorities say that the death toll will likely rise further. The worst affected area of the island is the southern coast, including the largest city, Funchal.

According to an eyewitness, the infrastructure of the area was "decimated" by the flooding; water flooded down streets, leaving debris in its wake and destroying roads and bridges. In some localities, residents were evacuated, and services such as power and telephone lines have been severely disrupted. Emergency services have been hampered by the damage, and rescue crews are still unable to reach some mountainous regions. The storms have left hundreds of people homeless, in addition to the dead and injured.

The government is considering declaring a state of emergency on the island, and local authorities have authorized relief supplies such as temporary housing for the homeless. Prime minister Jose Socrates has issued a statement saying "I am absolutely saddened and shocked with the images from the scene, and with the consequences of this calamity."  He is expected to travel to Madeira sometime soon to inspect the damage and co-ordinate relief efforts.  The Portuguese military has already sent rescue teams to the area to aid in the recovery efforts, and the Spanish government has offered assistance.