(MENAFN) The Rio Grande do Sul state in south Brazil continues to grapple with the devastating aftermath of severe storms, with the death toll rising to 90 as reported by the state's civil defense agency on Tuesday. Over the past 24 hours, an additional five lives were tragically lost due to the ongoing havoc caused by the adverse weather conditions. The region, which shares borders with Uruguay and Argentina, has been particularly hard hit by record rainfall, flooding, and mudslides, exacerbating the toll on communities and infrastructure.
The relentless storms have left 132 individuals missing and 361 others injured, while forcing more than 200,000 residents to evacuate from their homes over the span of the past eight days. The scale of the disaster is immense, with over 1.4 million people affected across 388 of the state's 497 towns, including the capital city of Porto Alegre. The widespread devastation has significantly disrupted daily life, with access to potable water severely compromised for more than 85 percent of the city's population, prompting authorities to implement rationing measures.
The impact of the storms extends beyond immediate safety concerns, with educational institutions also bearing the brunt of the crisis. Statewide, classes have been suspended as 790 schools were affected by flooding, 388 suffered damage, and an additional 52 are currently being utilized to provide shelter for those displaced by the disaster. In response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has visited the affected areas and pledged federal assistance to support recovery efforts.
The severity of the situation is underscored by the series of climatic phenomena that have contributed to the prolonged rainfall and subsequent flooding in the region. Rain-bearing clouds have persisted over half of the state, exacerbated by the impact of nine extratropical cyclones that struck the area in 2023. As communities grapple with the aftermath of the storms, the need for coordinated relief efforts and long-term resilience measures remains paramount to address the extensive damage and support affected populations in their recovery journey.
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