The death toll from a series of catastrophic floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, has risen to at least 83, reported the state’s civil defense unit on Monday (6).
Another 276 people were injured and at least 111 people are missing, while at least 121,000 people have been displaced, according to the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul.
The disaster has affected more than 850,000 people in 345 municipalities, destroying homes, roads, and bridges.
Imminent Risk
The government of Rio Grande do Sul reported this Sunday (5) that the total number of dams at imminent risk of rupture due to heavy rains in the state has risen to six. On Saturday, only two required “measures to preserve lives.”
In total, 18 dams in the state show some level of fragility. In addition to the six dams in more critical conditions, another five are at “alert level,” when “anomalies require measures to ensure safety.”
There are also seven dams at “attention level,” when “anomalies do not compromise safety in the short term but require monitoring, control, or repair over time.”
How Did the Flooding Start?
Rio Grande do Sul has increasingly been hit by extreme weather events in recent years, and at least 54 people died in the state in September after the passage of a subtropical cyclone.
The climate crisis, primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels by humans, is intensifying extreme weather conditions worldwide, making many events more intense and more frequent.
In Rio Grande do Sul, on April 27, continuous and torrential rains began. One of the main reasons for so much rain in such a short time is the heatwave affecting the Midwest and Southeast of Brazil. This system is blocking the advance of cold fronts forming in the south and east of Argentina, keeping Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina susceptible to areas of instability responsible for so much rain.
Source: Agência Brasil and CNN