The death toll resulting from the devastating heavy rains in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state climbed to 31, according to local authorities, as an extratropical cyclone wreaked havoc in the region, leading to home inundations and river surges.
Videos obtained depicted houses in the small town of Mucum submerged beneath rising waters, with streets and rivers transformed into torrents. Nearby cities like Lajeado and Roca Sales were also profoundly impacted by the flooding.
These floods in Rio Grande do Sul are the latest in a series of disasters that have recently afflicted Brazil. Earlier this year, Sao Paulo state witnessed over 50 fatalities due to massive downpours triggering landslides and floods.
Petropolis, a colonial-era city near Rio de Janeiro, Bahia state, and Santa Catarina, a neighboring state to Rio Grande do Sul, have also experienced similar calamities recently. An additional victim was confirmed in Santa Catarina on Tuesday.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed that he had conversed with Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite, offering the full support of the federal government to help the state “confront this crisis.” Lula dispatched two ministers to oversee search and rescue operations, and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin stood ready to travel to the affected region.
Climatempo, the weather forecaster, indicated that although the showers briefly ceased on Tuesday, they were expected to resume in Rio Grande do Sul on Wednesday and Thursday before dissipating by Sunday. The state remained on alert for further floods.
Climatempo stated, “A combination of lower air pressure and the accumulation of warm humid air will again generate heavy clouds over Rio Grande do Sul, which will cause more heavy rain.”
Rio Grande do Sul, with a population of around 10.9 million people, hosts numerous industries and is one of the country’s top grain-producing states. It shares borders with Uruguay and Argentina.
