The death toll from the historic climate tragedy in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (south) rose to 56, while there are 67 missing, 32,900 evacuated and at least 356,000 people without electricity, the Civil Defense reported.
The heavy rains that the state has been experiencing for almost a week have caused rivers to overflow, including the Guaiba, in addition to the fact that the historic center and other neighborhoods of Porto Alegre, the state capital, are practically under water, so that the bus station and the Salgado Filho international airport are disabled.
In total there are 281 municipalities affected by the meteorological phenomenon, indicated the Civil Defense.
“The numbers could change substantially in the coming days, as we manage to access the locations and identify other lives lost,” Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told reporters.
For his part, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ordered the opening of an emergency office of the national government in Porto Alegre to facilitate technical and financial aid, after sending on Friday 100 members of the National Force, an elite police troop, to help. in rescue tasks.
The state is a key point in the land transportation of trade in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) bloc and is also one of the main producers of rice, soy and meat in Brazil, which has had its economy slowed down for a week.
According to the Federal Highway Police, 188 stretches of highways face some type of blockade or total blockades.
