RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed in a shootout with police after a bank robbery in the northeast region of Brazil, authorities said on Friday.

The shootout occurred Thursday night after police located the house where the alleged bank robbers were hiding after robbing a bank in Aguas Belas in the state of Pernambuco.

The group of robbers arrived at the bank in two vehicles according to witnesses and fired several shots as they fled through the city. The police launched a manhunt to track them down.

"They were in a house. We told them they were under arrest and they began firing and we responded," said Fabio Costa, the civil police commissioner.

"There was an intense gun battle and the criminals were killed," he said.

In addition, police found a large amount of explosives, rifles, shotguns, pistols and money.

According to police, the 11 people had prison terms for other crimes.

"They robbed banks in several municipalities in the northeast and also committed an assault in a commercial center," Costa said.