Southern Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state is suffering from massive floods, claiming the lives of at least 60 people with 101 still missing, as confirmed by local authorities on Sunday.
Over 80,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes due to the flood havoc, seeking shelter in schools and gymnasiums. The catastrophe has triggered landslides, washed away roads, and collapsed bridges, leaving a trail of destruction across the state.
Electricity and communication disruptions plague the region, with over 800,000 people facing water shortages, as reported by the civil defense agency.
State Governor Eduardo Leite describes the situation as “unprecedented,” emphasizing the need for extensive reconstruction efforts.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, along with top officials, arrived in Rio Grande do Sul to assess the situation.
The relentless rains, beginning on Monday and forecasted to persist until Sunday, have inundated certain areas with over 300 millimeters of rainfall within a week, as stated by Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology.
This catastrophe marks the fourth environmental disaster within a year, following previous floods in 2023, highlighting the escalating impact of climate change on South America’s weather patterns.
