Heavy floods still affecting Brazil and Uruguay
Severe flooding continues to affect southern Brazil and adjacent parts of Uruguay, media reported on October 27, 2015. According to the recent information more than 200 000 people across the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina have been affected so far while over 600 people have been displaced in Uruguay.
About 132 towns have been affected by the rainstorms battering the region over the last few weeks, according to the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul. More than 7 500 families have been displaced across the state.
72-hr accumulated rainfall as observed by GPM. Image credit: Google/NASA/JAXA GPM
The mayor declared a state of emergency in Porto Alegre, one of the worst hit regions of Brazil on October 18, 2015. The state of emergency was also declared across 17 other municipalities.
Heavy rainfalls have caused the second worst overflow of the Guaiba River ever recorded, according to Agência Brasil. Almost 30 000 residents across 97 towns of Santa Catarina are affected by severe flooding, according to the local Civil Defense report. 1 790 people have been displaced while 2 933 have been reported homeless.
Colleagues @ExercitoSalvaBr are responding to severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: https://t.co/9O8pkGHhNx pic.twitter.com/iFLoC7uQ9L
— Salvation Army IHQ (@SalvArmyIHQ) October 21, 2015
President Dilma Rousseff visited areas in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina hit by flooding on October 24, Floodlist reports.
"In addition to the 66 municipalities we had already declared a state of emergency, we will come with a team formed by state government officials and mayors to take the necessary measures so that they [municipalities] meet the requirements to be declared state of emergency," stated Rousseff.
estacionando o carro hoje em porto alegre pic.twitter.com/v7Fdx4bxpw
— Andre Azeredo (@azeredo) October 15, 2015
Adjacent parts of Uruguay suffered from the flooding, as well. Severe rainstorms have caused the Uruguay and Yaguaron rivers to overflow thereby forcing more than 100 people to leave their homes.
However, the recent situation seems to be under control and stabilizing according to the Disaster Management Agency (SINAE). Currenlty, the only river above the safety level is Paysandu. 656 are stll displaced across the Artigas, Paysandu and Salto Rivera.
Featured image: 72-hr rainfall accumulation as observed by GPM, October 27, 2015. Image credit: Google/NASA/JAXA GPM
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