(DailyDig.com) – Severe flooding in the southern region of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, has resulted in the deaths of 83 people, according to the civil defense unit of the state announcement on May 6.
According to authorities, 103 people remain unaccounted for, leaving many families stranded on their house rooftops. They also said that the flood was the worst in that area of Brazil in more than 80 years.
The flooding caused about 155 injuries, and the rain damage forced over 88,000 people to flee their homes. Nearly 16,000 people found refuge in temporary shelters like schools and gymnasiums, local authorities said.
The floods left behind devastation, including washed-out roads, landslides, and collapsed bridges. Electricity was out, and over 800,000 individuals lost communications and had no supply of clean water, according to civil defense.
As brown water cascaded over a dam nearby, rescuers extracted a seriously ill man into a waiting helicopter in Bento Goncalves, a remote municipality, as seen in a video by the military. Another video showed the town residents standing in shoulder-high, dirty water, pulling boats to safety with the occupants.
By early morning on May 5, the Guaiba River had topped 17.5 feet, which was higher than the 1941 flood, where it reached 15.6 feet.
Eduardo Leite, the state’s governor, said that the devastation they were experiencing is unparalleled and will require a major governmental plan for rebuilding their state.
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, observed the streets that were underwater in Porto Alegre as he flew over in a helicopter. He told the press that they must stop reacting to disasters and begin to plan where in his country they would possibly arise to have a plan at the ready.
In less than seven days of rain in some of the valleys, cities, and mountain slopes of the state, over 11.8 inches fell, according to the National Institute of Meteorology.
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