The death toll from a severe cyclone accompanied by torrential rains and floods in Brazil has risen to 36, as of Wednesday, according to authorities. The country is bracing for more episodes of extreme weather events, marking yet another environmental catastrophe for the region.
Rescue operations are underway at an unprecedented scale, as floodwaters have forced residents to seek refuge on the rooftops of their homes. Officials indicate that over a thousand people remain stranded and in dire need of assistance.
The storms, which started on Monday, have submerged entire neighborhoods in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Torrential floods and landslides have ravaged vast expanses of land, leaving behind a trail of destroyed homes and murky floodwaters.
In the town of Mocom, which has a population of about 5,000, floodwaters have engulfed the majority of the area. 14 bodies were discovered there, in addition to the previously reported 15.
Local media outlets reported that, due to the sheer number of victims, authorities in both Mocom and the neighboring Roca Sailez region had to resort to refrigerated trucks to transport the deceased.
This disaster is the latest in a series of lethal natural calamities that Brazil has had to contend with. Experts believe the intensity and frequency of such events are likely to escalate due to climate change implications.
Brazil, with its vast rainforests and diverse ecosystems, has been on the frontline of climate-related disasters in recent years.
The increasing number of extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, and fires, underscore the pressing need for global climate action. The recent cyclone event throws into sharp relief the immediate and tangible impacts of climate change on communities.
