Heavy rain in Rio Grande do Sul, a state in Brazil, has caused the deaths of 143 people. This number increased from the day before. A group in charge of safety said on Sunday that there are also 125 people missing because the rivers are getting higher. The weather forecasters find this situation very worrying.
The government of this state where about 10.9 million people live has decided to use about 12.1 billion reais ($2.34 billion) for emergency help. This decision was made because over 538,000 people had to leave their homes due to the floods. The federal government added that it had already sent more than 60 billion reais in funds to help.
The President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that the country will rebuild what has been destroyed. On Mother’s Day he shared a message saying it’s a tough time because some mothers and children have lost each other.
The U.S. President Joe Biden also spoke about this situation. He said on Saturday that his team is talking with Brazil about how to help. He added that he is thinking about the people affected and those helping them.
More rain came on Sunday, and more is expected on Monday. The state is on alert again because the water in Guaiba lake near Porto Alegre might reach very high levels. This comes just less than two weeks after the rains began.
The weather in this state changes a lot because it’s where cold and warm air meet. It can have both heavy rain and dry periods. Scientists say that changes in the climate are making these weather patterns stronger.
