The death toll rose this Saturday in Brazil, where floods have devastated the state of Rio Grande do Sul for several days, leaving at least 56 dead and 67 missing in this region of the south of the country where the regional capital Porto Alegre is heavily affected. This new report was communicated by the Brazilian civil defense.
Roads cut, communications disrupted and neighborhoods evacuated
Roads have been cut by the floods and communications are disrupted in this state where it is expected to rain at least until Sunday and the authorities have given orders to evacuate certain areas of the metropolis of Porto Alegre.
The task of rescuers is formidable, with entire towns practically cut off from the world, made inaccessible by floods.
Housing areas drowned as far as the eye can see, roads destroyed or bridges swept away by the current, not to mention the failure of dams which risk further aggravating the situation: the human and material damage is considerable and especially concentrated in the central region of this State bordering Argentina and Uruguay.
“Unprecedented” disaster
In Porto Alegre, the regional capital with some 1.5 million inhabitants, the disaster will be “unprecedented”, warned Governor Eduardo Leite. According to him, the state of Rio Grande do Sul is experiencing the “worst climate disaster in its history”.
At least four dams “are in an emergency situation, with a risk of rupture,” local authorities warned.
In the midst of the disaster, there are some comforting scenes, such as the rescue of four pregnant women in the town of Agudo, taken by helicopter to a hospital.
23,600 people left their homes
More than 250 localities have been hit for several days by devastating storms and thunderstorms. The latest count by the authorities lists some 351,000 victims. In total, 23,600 people had to leave their homes.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the region on Thursday, promising that it would not lack human or material “resources” in the face of this tragedy. The federal government has pledged to send helicopters and boats, as well as more than 600 military personnel, to reinforce relief operations and food distribution.
“Extremely severe” rains until this Sunday
The weather forecasts are worrying, with rains of “extreme severity” expected to persist until this Sunday, according to Civil Defense, which also warned of the risk of another river, the Uruguay River, overflowing.
Hundreds of thousands of people were left without electricity. Water supply is also compromised in many localities, as is access to the internet or mobile phone signal.
To the north of Rio Grande do Sul, the neighboring state of Santa Catarina is now also hit by the rains.
