Porto Alegre: The death toll from the devastating floods in southern Brazil passed 100 on Wednesday, as authorities said the search for dozens of missing people was interrupted by a fresh storm.
Nearly 400 municipalities were affected, hundreds injured and more than 160,000 displaced in Rio Grande do Sul’s worst natural disaster.
Many people do not have running water or electricity, or even the means to call for help, due to poor phone and internet service in many places.
Governor Eduardo Leite warned on Tuesday that the state capital of Porto Alegre and other cities and towns could see a rise in the number of deaths due to the “continuation of the state of emergency”.
About 15,000 soldiers, firefighters, police and volunteers are working in many countries on ships and aircraft to rescue those trapped and get help.
But rain fell in Porto Alegre, halting evacuation efforts.
The municipality called for lifeboats to suspend operations, citing the risk of electricity from lightning and winds of more than 80 kilometers per hour.
Authorities have urged people not to return to affected areas due to landslides and health hazards.
“Contaminated water can spread disease,” Civil Defense spokeswoman Sabrina Ribas said Wednesday.
Amid reports of looting of abandoned properties, many people are reluctant to leave their homes for the safety of shelters.
The National Confederation of Municipalities said around 61,000 homes were damaged or destroyed due to unprecedented rains and floods in the country, with losses estimated at 6.3 billion reais (about $1.2 billion).
Damage to schools, hospitals and municipal buildings is estimated at $69 million.
Porto Alegre is home to about 1.4 million people, and larger cities have twice that number.
The Guaiba River in the country, which runs through Porto Alegre, has reached historic levels and five dams are at risk of bursting, two of which are “at risk”.
