Brazil: Dozens dead in severe flooding

Only the roofs of these houses in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul are still sticking out of the water. Severe storms have been raging in the region since Monday, causing flooding. At least 56 people have died in the floods so far, officials said on Saturday. Scores remain missing, so the number of victims could still rise.

Those affected are literally up to their necks in water. The heavy rain has flooded entire regions and thousands have had to leave their homes. According to reports, around 320,000 homes currently have no electricity and more than half a million households are cut off from their drinking water supply. The authorities have declared a state of disaster.

Desperation is written all over the face of this resident holding two cats rescued from the floodwaters. "Unfortunately, we are witnessing a historic disaster," said the governor of the affected state of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, and called on the inhabitants of his state to get to safety.

On Thursday, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the disaster area accompanied by several Cabinet members. Together with Governor Leite, he took part in a coordination meeting for the rescue operations and pledged his help to those affected: The government would support the authorities in Rio Grande do Sul "100 percent," said the president.

Help is difficult to come by in many places: a lot of roads are flooded and landslides are occurring in mountainous regions. On Thursday, a dam partially burst. More than 200 communities have been affected by the disaster, particularly in the Taquari Valley. Floods already claimed 42 lives there last September. According to Leite, the situation is even worse this time.

Entire villages in Rio Grande do Sul are cut off from the outside world: Stretches of highway are impassable, while in some regions relief flights have not been able to take place since Tuesday due to low visibility. Telephone and internet connections have also been disrupted, affecting communications.

The military is also involved in the rescue operation with 900 troops, boats and helicopters. The soldiers are also helping to clear roads, distribute relief supplies and set up emergency shelters.

In several villages, people — and pets — were brought to safety in boats. It is uncertain whether they will be able to return: so far, more than 4,600 people have lost their homes in the floods. "I've never seen anything like it, everything is under water," 52-year-old Raul Metzel from the town of Capela de Santana told the AFP news agency.

The rain continued on Friday. President Lula emphasized that the flooding is a consequence of climate change: In recent months, Brazil has repeatedly suffered from heat waves and heavy rainfall. Global warming is causing such extreme weather events to occur more frequently and intensively. Currently, the weather extremes are also being intensified by the El Niño climate phenomenon.