Heavy rains leave at least one person dead and thousands homeless in Rio Grande do Sul.
Civil Defense has already tallied damages in 33 cities; governor warns of risk of landslides and floods.
247 -The intense rains that have been hitting Rio Grande do Sul since Monday night (16) have already caused destruction in several regions and left around two thousand people displaced or homeless. According to the newspaper The GlobeAccording to the latest survey by the state's Civil Defense, at least 33 municipalities have already reported damage or emergency situations caused by the storms.
Among the most serious incidents is the death of a 54-year-old woman in Candelária, after the car she was in was swept away by a current while trying to cross a flooded bridge. A man who was with her remains missing, and the search continues. Initially, it was reported that two bodies had been found, but this information was later corrected.
The areas most affected so far are concentrated in the Western Border and Central Region of the state. "We are closely monitoring the Taquari Valley and the Caí Valley, with the possibility of reaching flood levels in some cities," warned Governor Eduardo Leite in a social media post. The head of the Executive branch also drew attention to the risk of landslides in mountainous areas of the Serra, the Central region, and the Valleys.
According to the report, Santa Maria is one of the most affected municipalities, with more than 100 mm of rain recorded in 24 hours. In that area, 56 families suffered damage and 93 people had to leave their homes — 84 were displaced and nine were left homeless.
Other municipalities also suffered losses. In Encruzilhada do Sul, 15 houses were flooded, directly affecting 30 people and impacting another 150. In Jaguari, 600 people were displaced and another 600 were left homeless. In Lajeado, a house collapsed, but no one was injured.
Reports of hailstorms were registered in the cities of Mata and Santana do Livramento. The highest rainfall amounts occurred in the municipalities of Quevedos (216,4 mm), Jaguari (207,8 mm), and São Pedro do Sul (176,8 mm), according to Civil Defense. The agency also warned of a "very high" risk of flooding in the Jacuí River and a moderate risk of landslides in Lajeado, Soledade, and Fontoura Xavier.
"By the end of Tuesday morning, 11 municipalities had already reported incidents to Civil Defense, including flooding, road blockages, and damage to homes. Unfortunately, the forecast indicates more instability for the coming days," Leite wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) has issued two weather alerts for Rio Grande do Sul. The first, classified as "Danger," covers almost the entire state and predicts intense rainfall of up to 100 mm per day, accompanied by strong winds and possible hail.
The second alert, at the “Great Danger” level, focuses on the interior of Rio Grande do Sul and predicts volumes exceeding 100 mm per day. According to Inmet, the scenario presents “a high risk of major flooding and river overflows, large landslides, in cities with such risk areas”. Both warnings remain valid until this Thursday (19).
