Severe flooding in Brazil has claimed the lives of at least 75 people, with 103 individuals still missing, while families are left stranded on their rooftops, awaiting rescue, according to authorities on Sunday.
The crisis has been caused by unrelenting heavy rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state. The Guaíba River in Porto Alegre, the state capital, has risen to a record level of 17.4 feet, plunging the city's 1.4 million residents into an unprecedented emergency.
The Rio Grande do Sul governor's office provided an update to ABC News, revealing the extent of the devastation: 75 people have died, 103 are missing, 839,000 households are without water, and 421,000 are without electricity. So far, 707,000 people have been impacted by the ongoing flooding, with over 105,000 evacuated. Tragically, at least 20,000 people have lost their homes.
Authorities state that this is the worst flooding event in the region in over 80 years, surpassing the historic flood of 1941. The environmental crisis shows no signs of abating, as heavy rain, which started last week, is expected to continue through Tuesday.
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has returned to Rio Grande do Sul to meet with victims and assess the widespread damage. His visit underscores the severity of the situation and the urgent need for ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.
