Brazilian authorities have increased the number of missing people from 25 to 46 after a devastating cyclone hit the south of the country on Monday, leaving at least 41 people dead, according to a new report released Friday.
• Also read: At least 31 dead after devastating hurricane in Brazil
• Also read: Cyclone kills 21 people in southern Brazil
The search for the missing continues, assures the civil security of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost of Brazil’s 27 states, in a press release.
Heavy rains and strong winds triggered by the cyclone forced more than 11,000 people from their homes. Recent estimates suggest more than 147,000 people are affected.
Several buildings were destroyed and cities were flooded. The authorities said a total of 87 communities were affected and reported 223 injuries.
AFP
Rio Grande do Sul state Governor Eduardo Leite on Thursday visited the municipality of Muçum, the worst-hit community with at least 15 dead and about 30 missing, and promised that it would be quickly rebuilt.
“We will guarantee the reconstruction of these cities, their infrastructure and the lives of these people,” Mr. Leite said at a news conference, estimating the need to rebuild road infrastructure at around $20 million.
AFP
Nearly a thousand rescuers and around 10 helicopters were deployed as part of the rescue operations, which became complicated on Thursday after two bridges collapsed and several roads were partially or completely blocked.
Authorities expect the weather in the region to remain unsettled until Saturday morning “due to the approach and advance of a cold front” from neighboring Uruguay.
AFP
Extreme weather events are common in Brazil, which scientists link to the effects of climate change.
In June, a cyclone in the state of Rio Grande do Sul killed at least 13 people.
In February, 65 people died in landslides caused by record rainfall in Sao Sebastiao, a seaside resort about 200 kilometers from Sao Paulo in the southeast of the country.