At least 78 people have been killed so far after heavy rains caused flooding in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. More than 115,000 people have been displaced. Local authorities said on Sunday that several more people were missing.
According to the state civil defense authority, around 105 people were missing till Sunday. As a result, the death toll could rise significantly. 70 people certainly died the day before this and currently, that number has increased to 78.
The storm has caused heavy rains and floods in the past few days. The floods have affected over two-thirds of the state’s nearly 500 cities bordering Uruguay and Argentina. More than 1,15,000 people have been displaced, officials said.
Roads and bridges have been destroyed in several cities due to floods. Landslides caused by rainfall caused the partial collapse of a dam at a small hydroelectric plant. As a result, more than 400,000 people lost power. About a third of the people were without water, officials said.
Porto Alegre International Airport has suspended all flights since Friday. The rescue operation continues.
