VIDEO: MT military rescue man and dog who were adrift on an inflatable mattress in RS | Mato Grosso

Video shows man and dog being rescued

A man and a dog were rescued on top of a inflatable mattress that was adrift in the mud and amidst the debris from the storms that hit Rio Grande do Sul. A video recorded by military personnel from the Integrated Air Operations Center (Ciopaer) in Mato Grosso shows the moment of rescue, this Tuesday (7). (watch above)

Rio Grande do Sul already counts 100 dead and more than 130 missing due to the rains. There are 207.8 thousand people away from home and it is estimated that more than 1.4 million people have already been affected. The state has 401 of its 497 municipalities with some report of problems related to the storm.

According to the military, the man was trying to walk home, with the water up to his chest, when he found an inflatable mattress and managed to climb on it. On the way, found the dog that was almost drowning.

Still according to reports from rescuers, the man was already without strength, weakened and with abrasions on his body, when the team found him and made contact with a vessel that took him to a place where the helicopter could land safely to carry out the rescue and forward him to medical attention.

The Mato Grosso military also rescued six dogs, along with families from Eldorado do Sul, a region of Greater Porto Alegre, which is islanded. The animals were taken to a location where they are cared for and fed.

The rain that has persisted for at least a week has placed the entire state in a state of calamity and is expected to continue for the next few days, causing more damage. The death toll has now reached 75 and dozens of people are missing amid the floods, according to Civil Defense.

The government declared a state of calamity, a situation that was recognized by the federal government. With this, the state is able to request federal resources for civil defense actions, such as humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of infrastructure and restoration of essential services.

Meteorologists explain that the catastrophe is the result of at least three phenomena that affect the region and were worsened by changes in the climate. And the trend is getting worse due to the forecast of more rain.

The tragedy in the state is associated with intense wind currents, a corridor of humidity coming from the Amazon, increasing the strength of the rain, and an atmospheric blockage, due to heat waves.