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The death toll has risen to 78 in floods and landslides triggered by days of heavy rain in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Reuters reported this information in a report on Monday (May 6).
Rio Grande do Sul's civil defense authorities said 78 people were killed and 105 people were still missing. More than two-thirds of the nearly 500 towns in the state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina, have been flooded. As a result, more than 1 lakh 15 thousand people have been displaced.
Roads and numerous bridges collapsed in various parts of the state due to floods. A hydroelectric plant has been damaged due to heavy storms. A city wall in the city of Bento Goncalves has partially collapsed. As a result, more than 400,000 people in Rio Grande do Sul were left without electricity on Sunday (May 5) evening. In addition, about one third of the total population is affected by the scarcity of fresh water.
State Governor Eduardo Leite told reporters, 'The amount of damage caused to the Rio Grande do Sul by the heavy storms, floods and landslides of the past few days is equivalent to the cost of war. Post-war arrangements will be needed in this state.'
After last Thursday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the flood-affected areas with most of his cabinet members on Sunday. He promised all kinds of help to the state government.
