The death toll from severe flooding in two states in northeastern Brazil has grown to 44, with more than 600 people still missing, the government-run news agency reported.

More than 42,000 residents have been left homeless or displaced in Pernambuco state and nearly 32,000 have met a similar fate in Alagoas state, the Agencia Brasil news service said Wednesday.

In Alagoas, more than 11,000 homes have been destroyed and another 7,000 damaged, the news outlet said.