Heavy rains in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul have left 39 people dead and another 68 missing as record floods destroy cities and force thousands from their homes, state civil defense says. The agency announced on Friday.
This is the fourth such environmental disaster this year, following floods in July, September and November 2023 that killed a total of 75 people.
According to Brazil's Geological Service, flooding across the state exceeds that seen during the historic flood of 1941.
The agency said water levels in some cities were the highest since records began about 150 years ago.
Residents and pets evacuate from flooded areas of San Sebastian do Cai (Carlos Macedo/Associated Press)
In the town of Feliz, 80 miles from the state capital Porto Alegre, a massively swollen river washed away the bridge that connected it to the neighboring city of Linha Nova.
Telecommunications operators reported electricity, communications, and water outages across the state. According to the Civil Defense Agency, more than 23,000 people had to leave their homes.
Without internet, phone service, or electricity, residents struggled to provide updates and information to relatives living in other states.
Marcelo Cerci, chief meteorologist at the National Natural Hazards Monitoring and Warning Center, told Brazil's public television network on Friday that the heavy rains were expected to start on Monday and last until at least Saturday.
On Thursday night, Governor Eduardo Leite warned the state's residents, known as gauchos, about continued rain and flooding.
He said the situation in Porto Alegre is expected to worsen further.
“But as governor, I assure you that I will stand firm here and never flinch. I approach everything with anger.”
Weather throughout South America is influenced by El Niño, a periodic natural phenomenon that warms surface waters in the equatorial Pacific region.
In Brazil, El Niño events have historically caused drought in the north and torrential rains in the south.
This year, the El Niño phenomenon has had a particularly strong impact, causing historic drought in the Amazon.
Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to human-induced climate change.