According to a report by Xinhua citing the Brazilian Civil Defence, severe rainfall has resulted in a minimum of four fatalities and two individuals missing in Rio Grande do Sul, while in Santa Catarina, three people have died and another is missing.
The report further indicated that over 31,000 residents in these areas have been impacted by the rains, leading to the evacuation of around 1,600 people due to flooding.
In Santa Catarina, 62 out of 295 municipalities have experienced the adverse effects of the rainfall, with 17 of them declaring a state of emergency, as informed by the Civil Defense.
The heavy rains have disrupted connectivity by cutting off roads and isolating towns.
Additionally, the downpour accompanied by strong winds has caused disturbances in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state.
The winds, reaching speeds over 80 kilometers per hour, have led to the uprooting of trees in the region
Last September, the death toll from a severe cyclone accompanied by torrential rains and floods in Brazil has risen to 36, according to authorities.
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.
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.
Brazil, with its vast rainforests and diverse ecosystems, has been on the frontline of climate-related disasters in recent years.
