At least 83 people have died as a result of a string of devastating floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, the state’s civil defense office announced on Monday.
In order to ascertain whether the other four deaths were connected to the storms, authorities are currently looking into them.
According to the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul, at least 121,000 people have been displaced, 276 more people are reportedly injured, and at least 111 people are missing.
More than 850,000 people in 345 municipalities have been impacted by the calamity, which has destroyed homes, roads, and bridges.
When CNN spoke with locals and evacuees, they saw dead bodies in the floodwater that were probably still unaccounted for.
The subcommander of Rio Grande do Sul Military Firefighters, Col. José Carlos Sallet, told CNN on Sunday that about a thousand firefighters are engaged in rescue operations.
“They have been conducting quick operations to save as many people as possible when the rain stops.” We were able to step up operations yesterday (Saturday),” Sallet added.
Pictures show murky, brown waters that in some places rise as high as rooftops, and rescue crews were out and about with inflatable rafts, carrying people and animals on board.
In September, Rio Grande do Sul saw a sub-tropical storm that resulted in the deaths of at least 54 people. The state has been more affected by extreme weather events in recent years.
Extreme weather is intensifying and becoming more frequent globally due to the climate catastrophe, which is mostly being caused by humans burning fossil fuels.
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