Catastrophic Brazilian Flood: Over 70 Dead, Millions Left Homeless as Civil Defense Struggles to Keep Up

The recent rainstorm in southern Brazil caused devastating flooding, affecting over 300 cities and resulting in at least 78 deaths. The civil defense agency of the state of Rio Grande do Sul made this announcement on May 5th, stating that two-thirds of the nearly 500 cities in the state were impacted by the flooding, causing landslides and infrastructure damage.

The flooding caused traffic congestion, power outages, and left over a million people without access to clean water. A hydroelectric dam near Bento Goncalves collapsed due to the storms and floods, resulting in 30 fatalities. Several other hydroelectric dams in the region are also at risk of breaking due to rising floodwaters. Cities in the Taquari river valley, such as Lajeodo and Estrela, were heavily flooded.

This flood was described by Brazilian President Lula da Silva as one of the worst floods in Brazilian history, with unprecedented amounts of rain falling on the state. According to the Brazilian Meteorological Agency, this flood surpassed the “cataclysm” of 1941. In some cities, water levels reached their highest point in nearly 150 years. The disaster left 78 people dead, 101 missing, and over 115,000 evacuated.

Rescue efforts involved helicopters airlifting stranded families from rooftops and specialized teams using vehicles and jet skis to access landslides and flooded areas. In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba River overflowed, flooding the streets and causing widespread damage. The city’s airport had to halt operations indefinitely due to flooding issues. People were forced to seek refuge on rooftops or use boats and canoes to navigate through