Heavy rains have caused devastation in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, killing 39 people, according to news agency Reuters. As many as 74 persons are missing. The severe rains have caused record-breaking floods, destroying cities and driving thousands of people to flee their homes.
This is the fourth disastrous flood to slam Brazil in the last 12 months. The previous floods occurred in July, September, and November of last year, claiming 75 lives, according to British news outlet The Guardian.
A flooded river ripped away a major bridge connecting Feliz to the nearby city of Linha Nova, 50 miles (80 kilometres) from the state capital, Porto Alegre.
According to reports, key services throughout the state have been badly disrupted, including electricity, communication, and water supply. The Civil Defence Agency said that approximately 23,000 people had been displaced from their homes.
During the commotion, residents struggled with a lack of internet, phone access, and energy, making it difficult to send critical updates to family in distant locations. Helicopters ceaselessly patrolled the skies above swamped regions, while stranded people, including children, waited for rescue on rooftops.
The relentless rainfall that began on Monday shows no signs of abating and is expected to continue until at least Saturday, according to Marcelo Seluchi, chief meteorologist at the National Centre for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters, who spoke on Brazil’s public television network on Friday.
