'Even the Plane Was Submerged'... 100 Dead in Floods in Southern Brazil

Record-breaking heavy rain causes multiple deaths and displaced victims
Governor appeals for international community support

In the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, record heavy rains have caused flooding, submerging half of the city and resulting in a death toll of 100, with increasing casualties and property damage.

According to local Brazilian media outlet G1 on the 8th (local time), the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul reported that the death toll has risen to 100, with 128 people missing as of that day.

According to the National Confederation of Municipalities of Brazil, approximately 61,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged, and it is estimated that more than 163,000 people are currently displaced in Rio Grande do Sul. Civil Defense statistics classify 417 out of 497 villages in the region as flood-affected areas.

The National Council of Municipalities (CNM) of Brazil estimated that property damage caused by the heavy rains over the past week since the 29th of last month has reached about 1 billion USD (approximately 1.3 trillion KRW).

Rio Grande do Sul is a region responsible for 70% of Brazil's rice production, and crop damage from this flood is also expected to spread.

As concerns over reduced rice harvests grow, Brazilian President Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva announced on the same day that rice and soybean imports will be increased to prevent food shortages caused by the flooding.

A soldier is observing a flooded street in El Dorado do Sul, near Porto Alegre in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, from a helicopter.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to a report by CNN in the United States, satellite images taken after the heavy rains in the capital Porto Alegre show that areas where houses and roads once stood are now filled with muddy brown water, and the airport runway has been submerged and disappeared without a trace. The Salgado Filho International Airport in southern Brazil is completely flooded on its runway and roads, with only the airport buildings and airplanes partially submerged, barely visible above the water.

Eduardo Leite, governor of Rio Grande do Sul, appealed to the international community for assistance, stating, "To recover from this flood damage, support equivalent to the Marshall Plan reconstruction efforts after World War II is necessary."

Governor Leite also warned that cold air masses will continue to flow into the region, bringing more rain and a sharp drop in temperatures, which could cause additional damage.

While recovery efforts are underway in the affected areas, the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) forecasted that heavy rains will continue across Rio Grande do Sul from the 10th to the 12th. Inmet observed that precipitation is expected to exceed approximately 100 mm, with winds blowing at about 30 km/h.