Devendra Kumar
Massive floods in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state have left a trail of devastation and death over the past seven days, with at least 75 people killed and another 103 reported missing. The floods have forced more than 88,000 people from their homes, with about 16,000 taking refuge in schools, gymnasiums, and other temporary shelters. More than 800,000 people are without a water supply, according to the civil defense agency, which cited figures from water company Corsan.
The floods have left widespread damage, including landslides, washed-out roads, and collapsed bridges across the state. Operators have reported electricity and communications cuts, and many residents are struggling to access basic necessities. The Guaiba river has reached a record level of 17.5 feet, surpassing levels seen during a historic 1941 deluge.
As the floods continue to wreak havoc, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has visited Rio Grande do Sul for a second time, accompanied by defense minister Jose Mucio, finance minister Fernando Haddad, and environment minister Marina Silva, among others. He has called for increased efforts to prevent such disasters in the future, saying “We need to see in advance what calamities might happen and we need to work.”
Pope Francis has also offered his prayers for the state’s population, urging the Lord to welcome the dead and comfort their families and those who had to abandon their homes. The downpour started on Monday, with some areas receiving more than 11.8 inches of rain in less than a week, according to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology.
The heavy rains are the fourth such environmental disaster in the state in a year, following floods in July, September, and November 2023 that killed 75 people. Scientists attribute the increased frequency and severity of such disasters to the climate phenomenon El Nino and human-caused climate change. As Suely Araujo, a public policy co-ordinator at the Climate Observatory, noted, “These tragedies will continue to happen, increasingly worse and more frequent.”
The devastation in Rio Grande do Sul serves as a stark reminder of the need for Brazil to adapt to the effects of climate change. The country’s need to adjust to the impacts of climate change has been underscored by the recent historic drought in the Amazon and the ongoing challenges posed by El Nino.