According to the National Confederation of Municipalities, rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul They have already caused almost 1 billion reais in losses, with the agricultural sector being the most affected.
According to a preliminary survey, losses caused by floods in the state exceed 967 million reais.
However, this number could be much higher, as only 25 municipalities have forwarded information to the confederation so far.
The assessment is that the value should increase as other municipalities recover their losses, as the majority still provide emergency and rescue assistance to victims.
There are already 90 dead and more than 130 missing.
In the agricultural sector, financial damages until the last update exceeded 506 million reais.
Of the cities that managed to count the losses, 423 million were related to agriculture and 83 million to livestock.
Rains
At the beginning of the week, the storms gave a respite to Rio Grande do Sul, but this Wednesday, the 8th, a cyclone associated with a cold front will increase rains again. Early in the morning, it may rain in the center-south of Rio Grande do Sul, with wind gusts of 70 km/h. High alert for the Campaign regions, central part of the state, northwest and west. In the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul and in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, the showers can be moderate to strong. According to Climatempo, the problem is that any rain that falls already represents a danger for soil that is completely soaked.
Rio Grande do Sul is a large producer of animal and vegetable protein, which raises awareness about the impact on supplies and the cost of living for families. As it is the main rice producing state in Brazil, there is a risk of shortages. President Lula announced that he will import rice and beans from other countries. According to the Rio-Grandense Rice Institute, 82.9% of the crops were harvested, leaving around 150 thousand hectares remaining. However, the central region has the lowest percentage of harvested area, with 62%, leaving around 45 thousand hectares remaining. This is the region most affected by floods. Much of this damage can only be calculated after the water recedes. The expectation is that the rains will decrease from this weekend with the arrival of cold air across the state, which will lower temperatures, according to Climatempo.
