brazil flood updates

 

Deadly Storms Ravage Southern Brazil, Killing Dozens

Heavy storms have killed over two dozen people in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. According to local authorities, many more are missing. The massive downpour destroyed bridges, and residents waded through flooded streets, salvaging whatever they could find from their homes.

 The state's civil defense reported that more than 10,000 people were displaced in over 150 cities. Many residents found refuge in shelters, including Sylvia Rodriguez Lima and her baby daughter. 

The governor of Rio Grande do Sul declared the floods the biggest disaster the state has ever faced, while Brazilian President Lula Da Silva vowed to provide as much aid as needed. The federal government will be 100% available to the state of Rio Grande do Sul and its people to respond with human, material, and efficient resources necessary to repair the damage, with the primary goal of saving lives.

 These floods are the latest natural disaster to hit the area, following a tropical cyclone last September that resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people.