Rescue efforts in flood-stricken southern Brazil were hampered on Wednesday (May 8) by renewed rain and the threat of lightning and strong winds. These weather conditions risk worsening calamity that has already claimed at least 100 lives and displaced over 163,000 people.

The floods that started last week, caused by unusually heavy rains, have destroyed highways and bridges in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Around 128 people are still missing, the state's civil defense authority said and urged people living close to the Patos lagoon to leave their homes immediately.

The army soldiers were seen using the amphibious armored cars to rescue people from flooding in Canoas, where the waters have reached a depth of some three meters (10 ft) and the streets can only be navigated by boat.

"I have been living in this tractor with my children, to survive this calamity. We believe it will pass," an exhausted Farias told Reuters. He said he had slept little and eaten less.

<h2>RISK OF MORE FLOODS</h2>

Brazil's disaster center placed the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul under high risk as heavy rain is expected to resume imminently. Weather forecaster MetSul warns of very large floods of serious proportions for the area.

In neighboring Uruguay, storms and flooding have closed highways and left nearly 800 people displaced and over 3,000 people without power, the government said.

In Brazil, many residents in and around Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million people, have been living in darkness after power companies cut off electricity for security reasons.

The residents have faced shortages of products, especially drinking water. Supermarket managers said there was no access for supply trucks or employees trying to get to work. Mineral water sales were restricted in some supermarkets.

Meanwhile the volunteer rescue operations after dark in Porto Alegre were also hampered by looting. 
"We are not going out to rescue people at night without an armed escort, because it has become too risky," volunteer Lauro Strogulski said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Rescue efforts in flood-stricken southern Brazil were hampered on Wednesday (May 8) by renewed rain and the threat of lightning and strong winds. These weather conditions risk worsening calamity that has already claimed at least 100 lives and displaced over 163,000 people.

Rescue efforts in flood-stricken southern Brazil were hampered on Wednesday (May 8) by renewed rain and the threat of lightning and strong winds. These weather conditions risk worsening calamity that has already claimed at least 100 lives and displaced over 163,000 people. The floods that started last week, caused by unusually heavy rains, have destroyed highways and bridges in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Around 128 people are still missing, the state's civil defense authority said and urged people living close to the Patos lagoon to leave their homes immediately. The army soldiers were seen using the amphibious armored cars to rescue people from flooding in Canoas, where the waters have reached a depth of some three meters (10 ft) and the streets can only be navigated by boat. "I have been living in this tractor with my children, to survive this calamity. We believe it will pass," an exhausted Farias told Reuters. He said he had slept little and eaten less. RISK OF MORE FLOODS Brazil's disaster center placed the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul under high risk as heavy rain is expected to resume imminently. Weather forecaster MetSul warns of very large floods of serious proportions for the area. In neighboring Uruguay, storms and flooding have closed highways and left nearly 800 people displaced and over 3,000 people without power, the government said. In Brazil, many residents in and around Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million people, have been living in darkness after power companies cut off electricity for security reasons. The residents have faced shortages of products, especially drinking water. Supermarket managers said there was no access for supply trucks or employees trying to get to work. Mineral water sales were restricted in some supermarkets. Meanwhile the volunteer rescue operations after dark in Porto Alegre were also hampered by looting. "We are not going out to rescue people at night without an armed escort, because it has become too risky," volunteer Lauro Strogulski said. (With inputs from agencies)

Fresh rains hinder rescue efforts in flood-ravaged southern Brazil

Heavy rains battering Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have killed 39 people, local authorities said on Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens still have not been accounted for.

Rio Grande do Sul's civil defense authority said 68 people were still missing and at least 24,000 had been displaced as the storms affected more than half of the 497 cities in the state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina.

"These numbers can still materially change over the following days as we gain access to more regions", Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told reporters.

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In several towns, streets essentially turned into rivers, with roads and bridges destroyed. The storm also triggered landslides and the partial collapse of a dam structure at a small hydroelectric power plant.

A second dam in the city of Bento Goncalves is also at risk of collapsing, authorities said, ordering people who live nearby to evacuate.

In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba river broke its banks, and flooded streets blocked access to the city's historic central neighborhoods.

The state is at a geographical meeting point between tropical and polar atmospheres, which has created a weather pattern with periods of intense rains and others of drought.

Local scientists believe the pattern has been intensifying due to climate change.

Heavy rains had already hit Rio Grande do Sul last September, as an extratropical cyclone caused floods that killed more than 50 people.

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That came after more than two years of a persistent drought due to the La Nina phenomenon, with only scarce showers.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva traveled to the state on Thursday to visit affected locations and discuss rescue efforts with the governor.

Back in Brasilia, Lula vowed on Friday that his government would support local rescue and reconstruction efforts.

Heavy rains battering Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have killed 39 people, local authorities said on Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens still have not been accounted for.

Heavy rains battering Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have killed 39 people, local authorities said on Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens still have not been accounted for. Rio Grande do Sul's civil defense authority said 68 people were still missing and at least 24,000 had been displaced as the storms affected more than half of the 497 cities in the state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina. "These numbers can still materially change over the following days as we gain access to more regions", Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told reporters. Also read: Kremlin accuses David Cameron of 'direct escalation' over arms for Ukraine In several towns, streets essentially turned into rivers, with roads and bridges destroyed. The storm also triggered landslides and the partial collapse of a dam structure at a small hydroelectric power plant. A second dam in the city of Bento Goncalves is also at risk of collapsing, authorities said, ordering people who live nearby to evacuate. In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba river broke its banks, and flooded streets blocked access to the city's historic central neighborhoods. The state is at a geographical meeting point between tropical and polar atmospheres, which has created a weather pattern with periods of intense rains and others of drought. Local scientists believe the pattern has been intensifying due to climate change. Heavy rains had already hit Rio Grande do Sul last September, as an extratropical cyclone caused floods that killed more than 50 people. Also read: US airstrike in Syria mistakenly killed civilian, not al Qaeda leader, Pentagon admits That came after more than two years of a persistent drought due to the La Nina phenomenon, with only scarce showers. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva traveled to the state on Thursday to visit affected locations and discuss rescue efforts with the governor. Back in Brasilia, Lula vowed on Friday that his government would support local rescue and reconstruction efforts.

Rains in southern Brazil kill at least 39, some 70 still missing

The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 29, local authorities said on Thursday evening, as the state government declared a state of public calamity to handle the dramatic situation.

The storms, which have caused the greatest devastation in the state in recent years, also left 60 people missing and 10,242 displaced in 154 cities, according to Rio Grande do Sul's civil defense.

"It's not just another critical case; it's the most critical that the state will probably have recorded in its history," state Governor Eduardo Leite said in a live broadcast on social media, adding that the situation is worse than last year's rains in the state.

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More than 300,000 people have also been left without electricity after a dam at a small hydroelectric power plant burst on Thursday, the state's main utilities company said.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew over the affected areas and met with Governor Leite in Santa Maria on Thursday for an emergency meeting.

"I told the governor and my ministers that the federal government will make every effort. ... We will take care of this with great care and respect," Lula said during the meeting.

Watch:&nbsp;Heavy rains kill at least 10 in Brazil, over 1,400 displaced in Southern Brazil

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In a video posted on social media, Leite called for coordination in the efforts to rescue people, asking for "full force" as he declared a state of public calamity citing the risk faced by the state as a result of climate events.

Lula told Leite in a call late on Wednesday he would send as many men as necessary to help deal with the situation, the president's office said.

Brazil has faced a recent spate of natural disasters. More than 50 people were killed in Sao Paulo state last year after massive downpours caused landslides and flooding.

The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 29, local authorities said on Thursday evening, as the state government declared a state of public calamity to handle the dramatic situation.

The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 29, local authorities said on Thursday evening, as the state government declared a state of public calamity to handle the dramatic situation. The storms, which have caused the greatest devastation in the state in recent years, also left 60 people missing and 10,242 displaced in 154 cities, according to Rio Grande do Sul's civil defense. "It's not just another critical case; it's the most critical that the state will probably have recorded in its history," state Governor Eduardo Leite said in a live broadcast on social media, adding that the situation is worse than last year's rains in the state. Also read: Brazil sees all-time temperature record, climate change partly to blame More than 300,000 people have also been left without electricity after a dam at a small hydroelectric power plant burst on Thursday, the state's main utilities company said. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew over the affected areas and met with Governor Leite in Santa Maria on Thursday for an emergency meeting. "I told the governor and my ministers that the federal government will make every effort. ... We will take care of this with great care and respect," Lula said during the meeting. Watch: Heavy rains kill at least 10 in Brazil, over 1,400 displaced in Southern Brazil × In a video posted on social media, Leite called for coordination in the efforts to rescue people, asking for "full force" as he declared a state of public calamity citing the risk faced by the state as a result of climate events. Lula told Leite in a call late on Wednesday he would send as many men as necessary to help deal with the situation, the president's office said. Brazil has faced a recent spate of natural disasters. More than 50 people were killed in Sao Paulo state last year after massive downpours caused landslides and flooding.

Death toll from rains in southern Brazil climbs to 29, Lula visits region

The parts of Brazil are underwater after weeks of heavy rainfall and complicating matters further two dams have developed some cracks and resulted in swamping in the already inundated areas in several parts of Brazil.

Several parts of Brazil are under water after weeks of heavy rainfall

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Fresh rains hinder rescue efforts in flood-ravaged southern Brazil

Rains in southern Brazil kill at least 39, some 70 still missing

Death toll from rains in southern Brazil climbs to 29, Lula visits region

Several parts of Brazil are under water after weeks of heavy rainfall