Authorities said that a hurricane in southern Brazil killed a minimum of 11 people and drove thousands of people from their homes on Sunday.
Authorities reported that 10 further individuals are missing following the hurricane in Rio Grande do Sul state on Thursday and Friday, down from the initial estimate of 20.
According to local media, one of the casualties was a four-month-old baby. They showed video of a car being carried into a cemetery by strong winds.
“The water came up to our waist inside the house. Thank God, the firemen arrived quickly and got us out on boats. It seemed like a nightmare,” an anonymous woman from Sao Leopoldo spoke to newspaper Estadao
By helicopter, more individuals were rescued. In total, 3,713 people had homes that were still damaged after the cyclone passed between Thursday and Friday, and 697 had to be evacuated from dangerous regions.
On Saturday, along with government and emergency authorities, Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite flew over the worst-affected communities.
The governor went to a community centre in Caraa, one among the worst-hit communities, where hundreds of people were staying since their homes had been destroyed by the storm.
“The situation in Caraa worries us deeply. It is essential that we can, in an integrated manner, quickly map the main affected areas and identify the people who need support,” the governor mentioned in the statement.
Leite mentioned that the state firefighters had carried a rescue operation of around 2,400 people in the about two days.
“Our main objective at this moment is to protect and save human lives. Rescue people who are isolated, locate the missing and support families,” Leite averred.
Brazil has recently experienced a number of devastating weather disasters, which experts claim are being exacerbated by climate change.
In the southeastern state of Sao Paulo, severe rain in February caused floods and landslides that resulted in at least 65 fatalities.
