Brazil’s South Has Been Ravaged By The Worst Flood In Its History, Killing More Than 100 People

A state in Brazil has been ravaged by the worst flood in its history, killing more than 100 people and forcing about 230,000 others from their homes.

The catastrophic storm hit Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, on Monday, April 29, and persisted for over a week, affecting nearly 80% of the state, according to officials.

In some regions, rainfall surpassed 300 millimeters in less than a week, which is more than two months’ usual worth of rain around April and May in the area.

News footage showed muddy water submerging houses, airport runways and football fields, with residents saying they saw dead bodies floating in the floodwater, according to CNN.

The massive flood triggered landslides and destroyed homes, roads and bridges, as well as caused a hydroelectric dam to partially collapse, sending a two-meter-high wave through surrounding areas.

The international airport in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul and home to about 1.4 million people, has indefinitely suspended all flights.

80% of the area’s population does not have access to running water and many are without electricity, according to the BBC.

Rescue efforts are underway with around 15,000 soldiers, firefighters, police, and volunteers dispatched across the state.

On Monday, May 6, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – commonly known as Lula – requested that the congress declare a state of public calamity in Rio Grande do Sul.

This would enable extra government spending without having to comply with the spending cap approved in the previous year.

Rio Grande do Sul, located at the intersect between tropical and polar atmospheres, experiences an extreme weather pattern, which scientists believe has been intensified due to climate change.

The state has endured three deadly floods in the past year alone.

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