PORTO ALEGRE: The death toll from floods and mudslides triggered by torrential storms in southern Brazil has surged to 56, with another 67 persons missing, the country’s civil defense agency said on Saturday.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul has been particularly hard hit by rising water levels, leading to strained dams and posing a threat to the metropolis of Porto Alegre. Authorities in the region have been working tirelessly to evacuate residents from submerged neighborhoods as the situation remains dire.
Rescuers are facing monumental challenges as entire towns have become inaccessible due to floodwaters. Residential areas are submerged under water for vast distances, with roads destroyed and bridges swept away by the force of the powerful currents.
Local officials report that at least 265 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul have suffered storm damage since Monday, resulting in injuries to dozens of people and displacing over 24,000 persons. A third of those affected have been relocated to shelters as the region grapples with the aftermath of the natural disaster.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the affected region on Thursday, pledging full support in the response efforts. He attributed the disaster to climate change and vowed that “there will be no lack of human or material resources” in addressing the crisis.
Climatologist Francisco Eliseu Aquino underscored the role of climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon in the devastating storms, describing the situation as a “disastrous cocktail.” Aquino highlighted the intensification of extreme weather events, citing the collision of tropical and polar air masses exacerbated by climate change.
Brazil has witnessed a series of extreme weather events in recent times, including a cyclone in September that claimed the lives of at least 31 persons. Aquino emphasized that the region’s unique geography makes it susceptible to the impacts of climatic fluctuations, which have been exacerbated by global warming.
