Torrential rains that hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul last week caused river overflows that affected nearly two million people and injured 756, according to the latest tally published last Friday night by the Civil Protection.
With 141 people still missing, authorities fear the death toll will continue to rise as the region expects “heavy” rain over the weekend.
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.#floods #climatechange #people #men #lifestyle #poverty #sdg1 #endpoverty #endtopoverty #Nairobi #Kenya #kiberaslums pic.twitter.com/K0hSWPvt7P— ONDIVOW PHOTOGRAPHY (@Ondivoh) May 10, 2024
In the last 24 hours the number of people who have been forced to leave their homes has almost doubled, reaching 411,000 thousand. Of those, more than 71,000 have gone to shelters, with authorities scrambling to maintain order following reports of theft and violence.
New rains hit the state yesterday and especially the capital of Porto Alegre. Brazil’s National Meteorological Service announced that “heavy and persistent rainfall” will occur over the weekend and into the beginning of the week.
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— Agenda Setting Diario (@LaAgendaSetting) May 11, 2024
Meteorologist Katia Valente warned of the risk of new landslides, mainly in the northern part of the state: “This is what worries us the most at the moment,” she explained.
Meanwhile, authorities are mobilizing thousands of military personnel to distribute tons of food aid as well as mattresses and other supplies.
In Porto Alegre, home to 1.4 million people, bottled water is scarce, despite constant deliveries by tankers that supply shelters, hospitals, apartment buildings and even hotels.
Despite the new rains, residents are trying to get back to normal.
Some shops reopened, while water supply is gradually being restored in some districts. Vehicular movement remains difficult as many roads in the city are still under water.
More than 85,000 houses have been damaged by the rains and floods.
State governor Eduardo Leyte estimated that “entire zones” in flood-ravaged areas would have to be “relocated,” which would cost “several millions.” On Thursday, he had estimated the cost of repairing the damage at 19 billion reais (3.4 billion euros).
The federal government on Thursday promised to release regarding 9 billion euros to rebuild the stricken state.
With fields and machinery under water, farms and warehouses inaccessible, the natural disaster hit the agricultural sector, the driving force behind the local and national economy, particularly hard.
In the areas around Porto Alegre where rice is grown, AFP journalists saw fields flooded. Rice is one of the main products produced in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and is a main component of the diet of Brazilians.
Claire Noulis, spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, said yesterday that the floods were a result of climate change combined with the El Niño weather phenomenon.
“Even if El Niño subsides, which it will, the long-term effects of climate change will be felt. Every fraction of a degree the temperature rises means our climate will become more extreme,” he added.
“Our climate is on steroids” and extreme floods and heat waves “will increase”, she warned.
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