Civil Defence officials in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, say that flooding has forced over 2,600 people to evacuate their homes.
The flooding in the southern state comes after 2 states in the north east of the country declared a state of emergency after flooding rivers and landslides left at least 7 people dead and forced over 40,000 from their homes.
Rio Grande do Sul
Flooding in the Uruguay, Caí and Taquari river basins has forced 451 families from their homes. More rain is likely and authorities have warned of further flooding, particularly along the Taquari and Uruguay rivers. Other rivers, including the Guaíba and Jacui, are also threatening to overflow.
So far flooding has been reported in the municipalities of Barros Cassal, Boqueirão do Leão, Campo Novo, Casca, Cristal, Coronel Bicaco, Dom Pedrito, Itaqui, Panambi, Pedras Altas, São Borja, São Jerônimo, São José das Missões, Sertão, Tenente Portela, Tiradentes do Sul, Três Passos, Tunas and Vila Lângaro
The Civil Defense is in a state of alert, with the monitoring of the regional coordinates together with the municipalities, offering all necessary help to affected localities.
Rainfall
Sistema de Monitoramento e Alerta de Desastres do Rio Grande do Sul (SMAD RS) reports that 100.4 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in Itaqui on 26 May and 103.8 in Campo Bom during the same period. On 30 May, 103.75 mm of rain was recorded in Alzir dos Santos Antunes Entre Rios.
Heavy rain was also recorded in parts of southern Brazil during a 24 hour period to 31 May. According to WMO figures, Campos Novos (Santa Catarina) recorded 113 mm, Passo Fundo (Rio Grande do Sul) 56 mm and Sao Luiz Gonzaga (Rio Grande do Sul) 91 mm.
