Unprecedented heavy rainfall in Brazil has caused devastating floods in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul that has left more than 100 dead and over 163,000 seeking shelter.
Reuters reported that the floods that began last week have destroyed highways and bridges and left streets inundated with murky water in Rio Grande do Sul, which borders Uruguay and Argentina. The state’s civil defense authority has said that about 136 people have also been reported missing.
Brazil’s army, along with other emergency management agencies, has been using amphibious armored cars and rescue boats to rescue people from flood-ravaged areas.
Reuters reports that flood waters in the state capital of Porto Alegre and Canoas, a municipality part of the Greater Porto Alegre area, have reached a depth of 10 feet and can now only be navigated by boat or jet skis.
Residents of Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million people, have been living without power, after companies cut off electric supply for safety purposes. Clean drinking water is also only available in a limited supply and residents are also facing shortages of basic goods.
