Porto Alegre, Brazil, May 5 (EFE).- Devastating floods in southern Brazil have killed at least 76 people, while more than 100 remain missing, authorities said on Sunday.

The state of Rio Grande do Sul, bordering Argentina and Uruguay and the most affected by the rains, reported 75 deaths, while the neighboring state of Santa Catarina recorded one.

Authorities are investigating whether six other deaths are related to the weather disaster that has hit the southern part of the country since the beginning of the week.

It is considered the worst natural disaster in the region’s history.

People wait to be rescued by a Brazilian Army helicopter during an operation in conjunction with firefighters to rescue people trapped in their homes due to a flood, this Saturday, in Canoas, region metropolitan of Porto Alegre, Brazil, 4 May 2024. EFE/Isaac Fontana

The floods have displaced tens of thousands of people with authorities claiming that more than 88,000 inhabitants have had to leave their homes and move in with relatives and friends.

Nearly 17,000 have found shelter in public refuges.

In Rio Grande do Sul, with a population of 11 million people, around 421,000 homes were without electricity, and 115 municipalities had their telephone and internet services snapped.

Inhabitants of the coastal islands of Lake Guaiba walk through the water after being rescued by the Brazilian army after a river flood due to heavy rains, this Friday in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 3 May 2024. EFE/Isaac Fontana

More than 60 roads have been totally or partially blocked due to the flooding.

The level of the Guaíba River, whose waters have flooded the historic center of the regional capital of Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million inhabitants, rose again on Sunday morning to 5.33 centimeters, its highest mark in history.

On the other hand, the city’s international airport, which closed on Friday night after the flood reached its runways, remains closed.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Rio Grande do Sul on Sunday to survey the affected areas and oversee the emergency response efforts.

*Aerial picture showing a flood during a rescue operation by the Brazilian Army in conjunction with firefighters in Canoas, metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Brazil, 4 May 2024. EFE/Isaac Fontana*

The government has deployed 1,000 military personnel to assist the regional government in rescue and relief measures.

Authorities in Rio Grande do Sul have cautioned that, despite a decrease in rainfall over the weekend, flooding is anticipated to persist for several days.

Southern Brazil has faced a string of severe weather conditions linked to the El Niño phenomenon over the past year, which typically results in heightened precipitation in the region. EFE

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