The Brazilian Civil Defense reported on Wednesday that the death toll in Rio Grande do Sol due to heavy rains and flooding has reached 100, with 128 individuals reported missing and 372 injured across 417 cities.
As reported by Anadolu Agency, the southeast state is experiencing significant disruption, affecting 1.45 million people with floods and landslides.
Civil Defense’s count has identified 66,761 people forced to evacuate their homes in response to the persistent rain.
Additionally, government estimates now place the number of displaced citizens at 159,036 due to the adverse weather conditions.
In the face of this escalating crisis, both federal and state governments have moved to allocate significant resources to aid those affected.
Gov. Eduardo Leite has announced a relief package amounting to over $39 million.
On social media platform X, Gov. Leite shared that the judiciary has contributed an additional $11 million to the state’s civil defense fund to cope with the emergency.
President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva has also taken steps by announcing that more than $140 million has already been directed to address the impacts in Rio Grande do Sol.
Despite these measures, Gov. Leite has expressed concerns about the worsening conditions.
He stated: “The forecast for the next few days is not encouraging and points to the arrival of a cold front that should cause thunderstorms and lower temperatures in all regions, starting on Wednesday.”
He emphasized the critical nature of the situation, noting that the weather alert has been extended to the southern parts of the state, signaling potential increases in the severity of the weather conditions.
