MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil: Heavy storms kill at least 5 in Rio Grande do Sul

Lula told Leite that the Federal Government would help the State of Rio Grande do Sul through the crisis

At least five people were killed and 18 others went missing on Tuesday as heavy rains hit some 77 municipalities in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul bordering Uruguay and Argentina. A total of 3,742 people were reported to have been affected, while 95 lost their homes and 6 were injured. Almost 300 people needed to be evacuated and taken to shelters.

“Unfortunately we already have deaths and there are still missing people, displaced families, sending them to family homes or public shelters and providing them with adequate housing conditions. We are mobilizing rapid response teams to act in life-threatening situations,” Governor Eduardo Leite lamented. He also admitted to having spoken with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who promised to give Rio Grande do Sul all the “support from the federal government.”

Leite also explained that first responders needed to focus on the critically hit municipality of Candelária to rescue with help from the Armed Forces the people affected by the weather phenomenon.

“Rio Grande do Sul was again affected by heavy rains. Under the leadership of President Lula, we are working closely with the state government and municipalities to provide a rapid response to ensure shelter and safety for the population,” federal Social Communication Minister Paulo Pimenta said.

If the situation persists, a densely populated area such as Porto Alegre's Metropolitan Region where floods were also reported might be placed under alert.

Experts claim the weathwer crisis is a consequence of climate change affecting the planet. In late March, heavy rains in southeastern Brazil left at least 25 people dead in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo. At the same time, a heat wave hit the country in March, with sweltering temperatures in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. In February, Rio Grande do Sul had been suffocated by extreme temperatures due to an “extreme heat dome” from Argentina.