At least 29 people have been killed in floods in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, in what has been described as “the most critical flooding recorded in history” by local authorities.
The storms, which have caused the greatest devastation in the state in recent years, also left 60 people missing and 10,242 displaced in 154 cities, according to Rio Grande do Sul’s civil defence.
“It’s not just another critical case; it’s the most critical that the state will probably have recorded in its history,” state governor Eduardo Leite said in a live broadcast on social media, adding that the situation is worse than last year’s rains in the state.
Image: A drone view shows houses in the flooded area next to the Taquari River Pic: Reuters
Image: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the first lady Janja Lula da Silva arrive at the Santa Maria Air Base to monitor the areas affected by the heavy rains. Pic: AP
Image: People walk on a roof in a flooded area next to the Taquari River Pic: ReutersS/Diego Vara
Image: A drone view shows houses in the flooded area next to the Taquari River Pic: Reuters
More than 300,000 people have also been left without electricity after a dam at a small hydroelectric power plant burst on Thursday, the state’s main utilities company said.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva travelled to the state on Thursday to meet with local authorities and express his solidarity.
X
This content is provided by X, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable X cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to X cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow X cookies for this session only.
“Everything that is within reach of our government will be done to attend to the needs of the people who are being affected by these rains,” he wrote on X.
Operators reported electricity and water cuts across the state, and officials detailed numerous incidents of flooded roads, landslides and collapsed bridges as water levels of rivers and streams rose sharply.
Rainfall reached six inches in some parts of the region in 24 hours, according to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology, known by the Portuguese acronym INMET, on Tuesday.
Governor Leite said on Wednesday the floods would be “the worst climate disaster” the state has ever seen.
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
South America is periodically affected by a climate phenomenon known as El Nino, but this year the impacts of it have been particularly dramatic, with a historic drought in the Amazon.
Scientists say extreme weather is happening more frequently due to human-caused climate change.
Comedian Dane Baptiste has apologised to the "Jewish community, my colleagues and my fans" following criticism over a now-deleted social media post.The stand-up star, who has appeared on TV shows including 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Live At The Apollo, and Mock The Week, has been dropped by his talent agency Insanity. The company said the contents of a deleted post were "completely at odds with our values […]
Post comments (0)