Sao Paulo, May 22 (IANS) The discovery of four more bodies in the last few hours in south Brazil’s weather-battered Rio Grande do Sul state has pushed the death toll to 161, the Civil Defence agency said.
Record rainfall has devastated the state since April 29, leading to deadly floods and mudslides in 464 cities and affecting more than 2.2 million residents in both urban and rural areas, including the capital Porto Alegre, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
Porto Alegre’s international airport was closed indefinitely, so the federal government authorised the Canoas Air Force air base to be used for commercial flights.
The death toll is likely to rise in the coming days as 85 people remain missing and 806 have been injured, the agency said.
Security forces and first responders have rescued nearly 82,666 survivors across Brazil’s southernmost state, an agricultural powerhouse bordering Argentina and Uruguay.
