Brazil Ravaged By Deadly Storms: 100 Lives Lost, 100,000 Homes Damaged

Local authorities in south Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state have reported that over 100 people have lost their lives and nearly 100,000 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged due to more than a week of unprecedented rainfall and flooding.

The National Confederation of Municipalities provided an update on Wednesday, stating that the overflowing rivers and floods have affected approximately 1.45 million individuals, compelling about 200,000 residents to evacuate their residences, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

According to data from the Civil Defense Agency, around 99,800 residences of various types have suffered either complete or partial damage since the onset of the state’s most severe weather-related disaster on April 29.

A total of 414 out of 497 towns in the state, renowned for its agricultural and livestock production and bordering Argentina and Uruguay, have been impacted by the storms and have declared emergencies.

The confederation has estimated economic losses at 4.6 billion reals (approximately $904 million), factoring in damages to housing, public infrastructure, agriculture, livestock, industry, commerce, and services.

Within the span of a mere week, Rio Grande do Sul experienced rainfall equivalent to what it typically receives over five months, resulting in unprecedented flooding.

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