The death toll from the devastating floods that have hit southern Brazil for days has risen to over 100. The local authorities made this known while the search for dozens of people still missing was interrupted by new storms. Around 400 municipalities have been hit by the worst natural disaster to ever affect the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, with hundreds of people injured and over 160,000 forced to abandon their homes. Many do not have access to clean water or electricity or even the means to call for help, with telephone and internet services down in many places.
Lula: flood in Rio Grande do Sul a warning for humanity
The flood in Rio Grande do Sul is “a warning to humanity” regarding climate change. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this on the sidelines of an event in Brasilia, underlining that it is necessary to “take into account the fact that the Earth is demanding”. Again with respect to the tragedy in the southern state of the country, the head of state said that “we will have a dimension of what this climate disaster was only when the waters recede and we return to normality. I want to visit all the affected municipalities to see from close to what really happened”, he concluded.
