The storms that hit Rio Grande do Sul have already left ten dead and 21 people missing. According to a report released by the state’s Civil Defense, this Wednesday morning (1st), 104 municipalities were affected, 1,431 people were homeless and 1,145 were taken to shelters.
The local government’s priority is to rescue stranded families. Yesterday (30), Governor Eduardo Leite spoke by telephone with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who guaranteed federal support for the actions.
Governor Eduardo Leite monitors the rain situation in Rio Grande do Sul – Mauricio Tonetto/Secom
“We start the day with the sad news that there are already 8 deaths caused by this week’s storm in the state. We continue to work intensely to locate the missing and ensure the safety of communities in risk areas. Unfortunately, there is still more rain forecast”, wrote Eduardo Leite, today, in a post on social media.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) reported that it was called in and made two helicopters available to rescue those affected by the flood in the Santa Maria region. In one of the actions, FAB rescued a family that was stranded in a house at risk of collapsing.
Forecast
Storms have been punishing Rio Grande do Sul since Monday (29) and the Civil Defense forecast is that the volume of rain will remain high until next Friday (3). Roads were blocked, schools were damaged and classes were suspended, and there were municipalities with water, electricity and telephone supply problems.
The state has been suffering from increasingly recurring cycles of adverse weather conditions. In the second half of last year, floods caused by heavy rains caused the Taquari River to overflow, in one of the worst floods in decades, and left a trail of destruction, material losses and around 50 deaths.“
Floods in Rio Grande do Sul – FAB/Disclosure
The Caí and Taquari valleys are already facing a severe situation, with the risk of flooding at the same level as that which occurred in November last year, when the state faced one of the biggest floods in history”, informed the RS government.
All rivers monitored by state authorities have levels above alert limits. In the coming days, the concern will extend to municipalities in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, including the Jacuí, Guaíba and Sinos rivers, which may also overflow.
Brazil’s Cup
Following a suggestion from the State government, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) postponed the game between Internacional and Juventude, scheduled for tonight, at the Beira-Rio stadium, in Porto Alegre. The match for the Copa do Brasil was moved to May 10th.
“Given the meteorological scenario, which could result in damage to infrastructure, there is an increase in insecurity in the movement of fans from the mountains to the capital and even in Porto Alegre, due to streets and avenues that could be flooded”, warned the local government.
* Text changed at 12:23 pm to update the number of deaths
