The death toll from heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul has risen to 100, with 128 people still missing, according to local civil defense authorities. The storms have caused devastating floods, destroying bridges and buildings, displacing over 163,000 residents in the state.
Adriana Freitas, a resident of Porto Alegre, expressed her despair, saying, “We’ve lost everything. It’s sad when we see the city, our house, in the middle of the water; it seems like it’s over, that the world has ended.”
Brazil’s national center for natural disasters has warned of a “high risk” of more floods in the southern area of the state, with rainfall expected to restart. The region is facing the possibility of more “very large” floods of “serious proportions,” according to weather forecaster MetSul.
In response to the crisis, the federal government has pledged assistance to Rio Grande do Sul, including credit lines to support companies, farmers, cities, and the state government. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva assured that the state would receive all the help it needs to recover from the disaster.
The extent of the floods is still unknown, with civil defense figures indicating that 417 out of 497 towns in Rio Grande do Sul have been affected by the heavy rains. As the state braces for more rain in the coming days, residents are hoping for relief and support to rebuild their lives.