See list of cities hit by rain in RS

O Rio Grande do Sul has been facing heavy rains since Monday the 29th. The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite (PSDB), declared on Thursday the 2nd that the current scenario could result in the “biggest disaster” ever recorded in the State, which would surpass the one that occurred in September last year, when 53 people died due to an extratropical cyclone.

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According to information released by Civil Defense, 235 of the State’s 496 municipalities are experiencing disruptions resulting from the rains, which affected more than 351 thousand people, leaving 32 thousand out of their homes and 24 thousand homeless. About 40 died.

Leite declared a state of calamity through Decree No. 57,596. He classified the situation as “absurdly exceptional”. The calamity decree aims to make federal resources available to assist the population in situations of natural disasters.

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The Federal Highway Police reported that around 470 highways in Rio Grande do Sul were impacted by the rains, with several sections closed and structural problems, such as falling barriers and erosion.

Emergency situation

The list of affected municipalities includes several locations such as Caxias do Sul, Lajeado, Porto Alegre, Santa Maria, among others. The adverse weather conditions also caused damage to important highways, such as BR-116, with incidents such as falling barriers, cracks, and excess water on the road at several points. The situation requires attention and readiness from the authorities to guarantee the safety of the population and the recovery of the affected areas.

Check out images released by the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul:

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