GENERAL OVERVIEW

Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be affected by flood related events in this reporting period. Floods in 11 countries affected more than 1.7 million people and killed 171. Brazil, Colombia and Peru had the highest number of affected people.

Authorities in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico activated contingency plans and intensified monitoring of volcanic activity in their countries.

Low temperatures affected Corrientes Province in Argentina and the Andean highlands in Peru. Local authorities are assisting affected people.

06/04/2012 16:17 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 4, 2012 (AFP) - Brazil will spend $1.3 million to send water to the drought-ravaged northeast which is in the grips of its worst dry spell in a half-century, President Dilma Rousseff announced Monday.

Speaking on local radio here, Rousseff said the newly released funds will pay for more than 3,300 tanker trucks to carry water to the affected areas.

Drought has been taking a heavy toll more than 1,100 towns, triggering fighting in some areas.

05/14/2012 17:37 GMT

BRASILIA, Brazil, May 14, 2012 (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has unveiled social programs to assist low-income families with young children, mainly in the country's economically depressed north and northeast.

Known as "Caring Brazil", the scheme "will be the most important action launched in this country to combat absolute poverty in early childhood," the president said on Mothers' Day on Sunday.

HIGHLIGHTS:

 PERU: Authorities extend the state of emergency for 60 days in the departments of Piura and La Libertad.

 BRAZIL: More than 70,000 families affected in the state of Amazon by heavy rains.

 BRAZIL: Government allocates US$1.4 million to aid people affected by drought.