Rio Grande do Sul, or “Great River of the South,” is a state in the southern region of Brazil. It is the fifth-most populated state and the ninth-largest by area. The state shares a gaucho culture with its neighbors Argentina and Uruguay.
The Rio Grande was recently attacked with heavy rain and storms that have caused extreme floods and environmental disasters. The waters invaded the pier of the port of Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, on April 29 and headed towards the center in a continuous march. The peak of this height was on May 8, when the waters of Guaíba reached an impressive level. Flood damage occurred in 431 of the state’s 497 municipalities, while many roads and bridges were destroyed and landslides occurred.
Across all regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, at least 144 people were killed, 806 others were injured, and 131 were left missing in the floods. The flood has affected 1.4 million people statewide. Of these, 48,800 people are in shelters, while 159,000 are displaced and sheltered in the homes of family or friends. Over 500,000 people were left without power and clean water.
Police officer Fabiano Bolnr said to a journalist that he lost his aunt, uncle, and cousin due to the flood. He said that his cousin had made it out, but he went back to try to save his mother and father. “They had already experienced several floods; they even moved to a house in a higher location. But unfortunately, the waters returned, and this time it took them away.”
This has been the biggest climate catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul. This event has brought many people together to organize charity events for clothes, food, and anything else that the people need. There are Brazilians from all over the world organizing GoFundMe tasks to send the money to Brazil.
