Brazil battered by tropical cyclone, 13 dead, thousands displaced

At least 13 people were killed while thousands were forced out of their homes, Brazilian authorities said Sunday after an extra-tropicalcyclone tore through the southern region of the country.

On Thursday and Friday, torrential rains in dozens of towns inRio Grande do Sul caused significant damage. The coastal town of Caraa with a population in excess of 8,000 was one of the worst hit on the cyclone's trail.

“The situation in Caraa deeply worries us. It is essential that we can, in an organised way, quickly map the main affected areas and identify the people who need support,” said Rio Grande do Sul’s governor, Eduardo Leite, who visited the area.

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WATCH |WION Climate Tracker: Torrential rain inundates southern Brazil; emergency in 17 cities

Leite added that in two days, the firefighters had rescued as many as 2,400 people.

“Our main objective at this first moment is to protect and save human lives. We are rescuing people who are stranded, locating missing people and giving all the support to the families,” he said.

Apart from the death toll touching 13, four remained missing in Carra, after the number was revised down from Saturday's tally of 20. According to local media reports, a four-month baby is among the fatalities.

Meanwhile, in the town of Sao Leopoldo, over 3,700 people were left with mangled houses while 700 were evacuated preemptively from high-risk areas. Helicopters were also pressed into service to evacuate those stuck. The city of 240,000 inhabitants received 246 mm of rain in 18 hours.

"The water came up to our waist inside the house. Thank God, the firemen arrived quickly and got us out on boats. It seemed like a nightmare," a woman was quoted as saying by AFP.

More rain expected this week

The already perilous situation may turn even more frightening as more rainfall and a plunge in temperatures in expected this week as well. Authorities fear that the situation might be exacerbated and impact the already sluggish rescue and rehabilitation process.

Climate change is showing its true effect in the South American nation. Over the last year and a half, Brazil has faced a series of deadly weather disasters, which experts say may become a regular occurrence going forward.

In February, earlier this year, a least 65 people died whentorrential rain triggered floods and landslides in the southeastern state of Sao Paulo.

(With inputs from agencies)

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