Watch: Boat slams into bridge, capsizes as death toll rises amid catastrophic flooding in southern Brazil
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil – The death toll rose to 78 in southern Brazil with dozens still missing as historic floods continue to cause region-wide devastation.
Brazilian authorities say another 291 have been injured, and 111 remain missing. Overall, the floods are affecting almost 900,000 people in the Rio Grande do Sul state, with almost 130,000 left homeless and hundreds of thousands without power, according to the latest update from civil authorities Saturday afternoon.
Heavy, torrential rains have plagued the Rio Grande do Sul region for the entire week. The town of Bento Goncalves recorded just over 21 inches of rain in the storm, while several other gauges in the area reported over 19 inches of rain.
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Santa Maria had 8.4 inches in one day, making it the wettest day on record there. That city received 18.5 inches in three days – corresponding to about three months of typical rain, according to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (NIM). Since April 26, unrelenting rains dropped about 20 inches.
Flooding has covered several towns, shuttered over 2,300 schools and closed or blocked part of 68 highways, with many roads and bridges simply destroyed. The storm also triggered landslides and the partial collapse of a dam at a small hydroelectric power plant, according to Reuters.
Many of the highways have reopened.
Along the swollen Taquari River, a large boat was being carried down the raging floodwaters when it rammed into a submerged bridge and capsized, according to Storyful. There is no word if anyone was on board.
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In the state capital of Porto Alegre, where over 10 inches of rain fell, the Guaiba River sat at 6 feet above flood stage Saturday morning, causing widespread flooding. Photos from the area show downtown streets covered in shin-deep water.
City officials say three water treatment plants have failed due to flooding, and officials are urging residents to conserve water. The city’s airport in town has suspended all flights "due to high volume of rain."
Meteorologists with Brazil's NIM said El Niño is partially to blame for the wet weather pattern, as the warming waters of the Pacific Ocean help block cold fronts and concentrate areas of instability over the Rio Grande do Sul area.
Original article source: Watch: Boat slams into bridge, capsizes as death toll rises amid catastrophic flooding in southern Brazil
