At least 11 people have died in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of the country, due to bad weather. Twenty others are missing. Brazilian news site G1 and newspaper Zero Hora reported this on Saturday.
A tropical cyclone has been moving over the area since Thursday, bringing heavy rains. A total of forty municipalities were affected. In some municipalities, according to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, twice as much rain as usual fell in one month. Tens of thousands of people without electricity.
Helicopters are looking for the missing residents. The authorities warned of the risk of landslides in several areas.
One of the hardest hit areas is the town of Kara, which has a population of more than 8,000. “The situation in the Cara is a matter of great concern to us. It is essential that we be able to map the main affected areas in an organized way and quickly identify people who need help,” said Eduardo Leite, Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, when visiting the affected area.
According to Light, the authorities have already carried out 2,400 rescue operations in the past two days. “Our main goal now is to protect and save human lives. We are rescuing the stranded, searching for the missing and providing all support to the families,” he added.
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