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<p>Experts warned on Wednesday (May 15) that Brazil's&nbsp;Porto Alegre (which is&nbsp;the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state)&nbsp;might suffer severe flooding for weeks to come. According to Brazil's national weather service INMET, parts of Rio Grande do Sul&nbsp;have seen more than 25 inches of rain&nbsp;so far&nbsp;this month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A report by the news agency Reuters said that the waters of Lake Guaiba, which breached its banks to flood&nbsp;Porto Alegre,&nbsp;have risen again this week to 17.13 feet.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was well above the flood level of 9.8 feet&nbsp;and close to last week's all-time record of 17.4 feet.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-thousands-evacuated-as-flash-floods-cold-lava-flow-kills-50-721153">Indonesia: Thousands evacuated as flash floods, cold lava flow kill 50</a></strong></p>

<p>The report said&nbsp;that the&nbsp;floods devastated dozens of towns island from Porto Alegre, where the downtown area remained underwater.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Death toll in&nbsp;Rio Grande do Sul at 149; 108 still&nbsp;missing</strong></h2>

<p>A total of 149 people have died in Rio Grande do Sul due to the floods&nbsp;and&nbsp;108 people are still missing. Citing state officials, Reuters reported that around 250,000 houses are still without power and over 136,000 people have lost access to water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An initial forecast from the&nbsp;UFRGS Institute of Hydraulic Research (IP) suggested that&nbsp;the water could take 35 days to return to normal levels based on the experiences of the flood in 1941.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;BRICS group of nations pledge billion dollars for Southern Brazil</strong></p>

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<p>Experts, meanwhile, said that Lake Guaiba should return slowly to below flood levels within weeks or even by mid-June.&nbsp;Renewed rainfall over the last few days led to a new rise in the Guaiba water level, alerting&nbsp;authorities to warn residents not to return to&nbsp;areas at risk.</p>

<h2><strong>President Lula announces financial&nbsp;aid</strong></h2>

<p>Brazilian President&nbsp;Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said&nbsp;on Wednesday that the federal government would distribute&nbsp;$992 (5,100 reais) to&nbsp;240,000 families&nbsp;which&nbsp;have&nbsp;lost their houses or furniture in the floods.</p>

<p>Speaking at&nbsp;Rio Grand do Sul's&nbsp;Sao Leopoldo, President Lula&nbsp;said his administration will bring forward the payment of some social benefits for the state's citizens while planning to buy homes from the private sector to give to the displaced people.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Experts warned on Wednesday (May 15) that Brazil's Porto Alegre (which is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state) might suffer severe flooding for weeks to come.

Experts warned on Wednesday (May 15) that Brazil's Porto Alegre (which is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state) might suffer severe flooding for weeks to come. According to Brazil's national weather service INMET, parts of Rio Grande do Sul have seen more than 25 inches of rain so far this month. A report by the news agency Reuters said that the waters of Lake Guaiba, which breached its banks to flood Porto Alegre, have risen again this week to 17.13 feet. This was well above the flood level of 9.8 feet and close to last week's all-time record of 17.4 feet. Also read | Indonesia: Thousands evacuated as flash floods, cold lava flow kill 50 The report said that the floods devastated dozens of towns island from Porto Alegre, where the downtown area remained underwater. Death toll in Rio Grande do Sul at 149; 108 still missing A total of 149 people have died in Rio Grande do Sul due to the floods and 108 people are still missing. Citing state officials, Reuters reported that around 250,000 houses are still without power and over 136,000 people have lost access to water. An initial forecast from the UFRGS Institute of Hydraulic Research (IP) suggested that the water could take 35 days to return to normal levels based on the experiences of the flood in 1941. Also watch | BRICS group of nations pledge billion dollars for Southern Brazil × Experts, meanwhile, said that Lake Guaiba should return slowly to below flood levels within weeks or even by mid-June. Renewed rainfall over the last few days led to a new rise in the Guaiba water level, alerting authorities to warn residents not to return to areas at risk. President Lula announces financial aid Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that the federal government would distribute $992 (5,100 reais) to 240,000 families which have lost their houses or furniture in the floods. Speaking at Rio Grand do Sul's Sao Leopoldo, President Lula said his administration will bring forward the payment of some social benefits for the state's citizens while planning to buy homes from the private sector to give to the displaced people. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil floods: Porto Alegre may suffer severe flooding for weeks to come, experts warn

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Brazil floods: Porto Alegre may suffer severe flooding for weeks to come, experts warn