Brazil Launches urgent Rescue Operation as Floods Kill Over 78

Southern Brazil authorities worked urgently on Sunday to rescue individuals from severe floods and mudslides, marking the area’s worst-ever climate disaster. The calamity has resulted in a death toll of at least 78, with 115,000 individuals displaced from their residences.

Entire cities found themselves submerged under floodwaters, isolating thousands of individuals due to days of relentless rainfall. In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state, residents sought refuge on rooftops, while others navigated the inundated streets using canoes or small boats.

A disastrous cocktail

After what a climatologist described as “a disastrous cocktail” of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, over 3,000 soldiers, firefighters, and rescue teams sprang into action to reach affected residents, many of whom found themselves trapped without essential amenities like running water or electricity.

Civil defense authorities reported at least 105 people as missing, marking the latest in a series of catastrophic weather events to strike the South American nation.

Governor Eduardo Leite of Rio Grande do Sul likened the scene to a war zone, emphasizing the need for a post-war reconstruction approach. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, along with several government officials, pledged government support for reconstruction efforts, promising all necessary resources would be provided.

Apart from Porto Alegre, another 341 towns and villages have borne the brunt of the flooding.

Soldiers are establishing makeshift hospitals after regular medical facilities had to evacuate hundreds of patients. Meanwhile, civilians have organized volunteer groups to gather essential supplies such as life jackets, water, and fuel.

“Everyone contributes in their own capacity,” remarked Luis Eduardo da Silva, a 32-year-old volunteer.

The Guaiba River Surges to Record Levels

The Guaiba River, coursing through the city of 1.4 million inhabitants, surged to a historic high of 5.3 meters (17.4 feet), as reported by the local authorities. This surpassed the previous record peak of 4.76 meters set during the devastating floods of 1941.

“Rio Grande do Sul has always been a convergence point for tropical and polar air masses,” explained climatologist Francisco Eliseu Aquino to AFP. “But these interactions have intensified with climate change, creating a catastrophic mix that destabilizes the atmosphere and fosters severe storms.”

Rosana Custodio, a 37-year-old nurse, along with her husband and three children, fled their flooded home in Porto Alegre.

“The waters rose very rapidly on Thursday night,” she shared with AFP via WhatsApp. “We hurriedly sought a safer location. But walking wasn’t an option… My husband used a kayak made of bamboo to row with our two little ones. My son and I swam to the end of the street,” she recounted.

Fortunately, her family was unharmed, but “we’ve lost everything we owned.”

Authorities Mobilize for Evacuations

Authorities worked to evacuate inundated neighborhoods, employing four-wheel-drive vehicles and jet skis to navigate through waist-deep water in search of stranded individuals.

Governor Leite acknowledged that his state, typically one of Brazil’s most prosperous, would require significant investment for reconstruction.

Long queues formed as people attempted to board buses, although services to and from the city center were suspended.

On Friday, the Porto Alegre international airport suspended all flights until further notice due to its runways being submerged underwater.

Dramatic Rescue Captured on Video

Lula shared a video depicting a soldier being lowered onto a house via helicopter. The soldier used a brick to create an opening in the roof and rescued a baby wrapped in a blanket.

The rapid escalation of the flooding left many unsettled.

“It’s terrifying because we witnessed the water level rise at an alarming rate,” expressed Greta Bittencourt, a 32-year-old professional poker player.

Governor Leite described this as the most severe natural disaster in the history of Rio Grande do Sul, a region known for its agricultural output of soy, rice, wheat, and corn.

Lula, who made two visits to the state within days, attributed the disaster to climate change.

In recent times, Brazil has experienced a series of severe weather events, including a cyclone in September that resulted in the deaths of at least 31 people.

Read the original article on: Phys Org

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