Heavy rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have tragically resulted in a death toll of 13, with 21 people reported missing and 5,257 displaced across 134 cities. The state government has declared a state of public calamity to address the dire situation.
The storms have caused unprecedented devastation in the region, marking one of the worst disasters in recent years. The city of Santa Maria, where three deaths have occurred, has been particularly hard hit.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas and hold discussions with Governor Eduardo Leite in Santa Maria. Governor Leite has also declared a state of public calamity, emphasizing the severe risks posed by the ongoing climate events.
This latest flooding incident in Rio Grande do Sul adds to a series of natural disasters that have recently struck Brazil. The state had previously endured the impact of a tropical cyclone last September, resulting in the loss of over 30 lives.
