On Friday, the Civil Defense reported that floods in the southern region of Brazil have left 114 dead, 146 missing, and nearly 2 million citizens affected so far.
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The most dramatic situation takes place in Rio Grande do Sul, a border state with Argentina and Uruguay, where 113 deaths, 756 injuries, and over 400,000 displaced people have been reported. The other casualty occurred in the neighboring state of Santa Catarina.
Over the past week, torrential rains caused an unprecedented rise in rivers, flooding dozens of cities, including Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
The extensive rescue operation, involving police, firefighters, military personnel, and volunteers, is facing serious difficulties in distributing humanitarian aid as access to some areas has disappeared, and dozens of roads are cut off.
The text reads, "Unusual situation: sailing by boat inside the Porto Alegre Airport"
Since last week, Brazilian authorities have managed to rescue about 71,000 people and 10,000 animals during one of Brazil's worst climate disasters.
Currently, hundreds of families are cut off from communication and await rescue in areas where flooding has reached high levels. The situation may worsen in the coming hours as new storms with precipitation, cold, and strong winds are expected.
The public health system has also been severely affected, with most of the region's primary care units affected by the floods.
Authorities are reinforcing security as cases of looting have been reported in some areas. There have also been reports of sexual assaults in some shelters housing tens of thousands of disaster victims.
The text reads, "After model Giselle Bündchen made a video asking for help for the people of Rio Grande do Sul, tycoon Elon Musk announced he will provide a free Wi-Fi signal to the region hit by serious floods."
The floods will negatively impact the Brazilian economy as Rio Grande do Sul is an important agricultural and livestock hub, a vital sector for the country's growth.
President Lula da Silva announced a US$9.8-billion emergency aid for Rio Grande do Sul, which can be used for interventions such as direct assistance measures, subsidized credits for companies, and support for rural producers.
In the short term, the economic infrastructure recovery in the state of Rio Grande do Sul could require up to US$3.7 billion.