In the wake of relentless rainfall since Monday, Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state is grappling with a devastating catastrophe. As of Thursday night, the state’s civil defense agency reported a grim toll of 29 fatalities, with the search continuing for approximately 60 individuals still unaccounted for. Previously, the agency had reported 13 deaths and 21 missing persons at noon, reflecting the rapid escalation of the situation.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made a visit to the calamity-hit region on Thursday, meeting with local authorities and conveying his support to the affected communities. He affirmed that the government would mobilize all available resources to address the urgent needs of those impacted by the torrential downpours.
Across the state, electricity and water have been disrupted, while infrastructure has sustained severe damage. Flooded roads, landslides, and collapsed bridges bear witness to the destructive force of the rising waters. On Thursday, a hydroelectric dam partially failed, further exacerbating the crisis.
The unrelenting rainfall, which commenced on Monday, is anticipated to persist through Friday. In certain areas, particularly in valleys, mountain slopes, and urban centers, rainfall levels surpassed 150 millimeters within a 24-hour period, as recorded by Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (INMET).
The severity of the disaster has prompted Governor Eduardo Leite to declare it the worst climate event the state has ever witnessed. He described the situation as extremely critical.
South America’s weather patterns are influenced by the El Niño climate phenomenon, which involves a natural warming of surface waters in the Equatorial Pacific region. In Brazil, El Niño has been historically associated with droughts in the northern regions and heavy rainfall in the southern parts. This year, the impacts of El Niño have been particularly pronounced, accompanied by a historic drought in the Amazon rainforest.
Experts attribute the increasing frequency of extreme weather events to human-induced climate change, underscoring the urgency of addressing this global challenge.
