Sunken planes and flooded stadiums: at least 90 dead, millions without power in flooded Brazil

Rescue workers rushed to evacuate people trapped in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande on Tuesday. According to the latest figures, 90 people have already died, and the survivors are desperately searching for food and basic necessities.

On the outskirts of the city of Eldorado do Sul, 17 km from the state capital Porto Alegre, many people who left their homes spent the night on the slopes. People who had to evacuate went on foot, carrying things in backpacks and shopping carts.

“We didn’t have food for three days and only now we got this blanket. I’m with people I don’t even know, I don’t know where my family is,” local resident Ricardo Junior told Reuters.

The flooding has also complicated rescue efforts, with dozens of people still waiting to be evacuated by boat or helicopter from flooded homes. Rescuers used small boats to cross the flooded city in search of survivors.

The water element hit the south of Brazil last week. The torrential downpours caused rivers to flood, inundating entire cities and destroying roads and bridges.

AFP/”Scanpix” photo/After the rains, the stadium is flooded in Porto Alegre, Brazil

It is estimated that at least 155 thousand people were left without shelter. people, and without electricity – 1.4 million. Entire stadiums, city squares and roads were submerged under water. The heavy rain also submerged the runways of Porto Alegre city airport and covered passenger aircraft.

Reuters/Scanpix photo/After heavy rains, Brazil’s Rio Grande state is flooded

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva asked Congress to declare a state of emergency.

in Porto Alegre, 1.3 million in a populous city on the Gwaiba River, the city also went under water. As a result of supply disruptions, residents of Porto Alegre faced empty supermarket shelves, gas stations were closed, and mineral water sales were rationed in stores. City services trucked and distributed water to hospitals and shelters.

The floods also affected water and electricity services, with a total of more than 1.4 million affected, according to Brazil’s civil defense. people.

National electricity network operator ONS (Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico) reported that five hydroelectric dams and transmission lines were shut down due to heavy rains.