Death toll from floods in southern Brazil rises to 148

The number of deaths from serious floods that have been punishing the south of Brazil has reached 148 and the number of missing people has reached 127, according to the latest Civil Defense bulletin released early this Monday.

According to the organization, the greatest climate tragedy in the history of the southern region of Brazil has also left 806 injured.

The most dramatic situation is experienced in Río Grande do Sul, a state bordering Argentina and Uruguay and where at least 147 deaths have been reported. The other victim has been registered in the neighboring state of Santa Catarina.

According to the Civil Defense, the tragedy has spread to 447 of the 497 municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, where it has affected 2.12 million people, which correspond to 18.8% of the 11.3 million inhabitants of this prosperous state.

Of those affected, 80,826 have had to be housed in improvised accommodation in schools, gyms and churches and another 538,241 in the homes of family and friends.

The Civil Defense has also reported that the rescue work, in which 27,651 firefighters, soldiers and police participate with the support of 4,405 patrols, 41 aircraft and 340 boats, have so far allowed the rescue of 76,470 people and 10,814 animals.

The devastating floods they have destroyed part of some populations; They have left numerous municipalities completely flooded and others, such as Porto Alegre, the regional capital, partially flooded, and an enormous trail of devastation.

The already serious situation could worsen in the coming days, when new storms with precipitation, cold and strong gusts of wind are expected.

The rains They have fallen again with intensity since Sunday, so the water level of the rivers, which had begun to decrease on Friday, has risen again but without reaching the maximum levels they once recorded.

With the rains on Saturday and Sunday, the Guaíba River, which flooded much of the historic center of Porto Alegre, including its airport and land transport terminal, has risen again and is now at 4.78 meters.

Projections from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) indicate that the water level in the Guaíba can reach the historical mark of 5.5 meters in the coming days if the rain continues.

In the same way, the Taquari and Caí rivers have overflowed again and caused new flooding in the municipalities of the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. The new flood has washed away the bridge that connected the cities of Caxias in the early hours of this Monday. do Sul and Nova Petrópolis.

The new floods have led the authorities to declare maximum alert due to the possibility of floods intense in the Vales region.

Likewise, maximum alert is maintained in the municipalities located on the banks of the so-called Lagoa dos Patos, where all the waters of the Guaíba flow and whose level has been rising since last Thursday, causing flooding in important cities such as Pelotas and Rio Grande.

One of the main concerns is the economic impact that the tragedy will have, since Río Grande do Sul is an important agricultural hub in the country and the largest producer of rice in Brazil.

According to regional authorities, the initial needs to address the emergency are estimated at 18,839 million reais (US$ 3,663 million or 3,392 million euros).