At least 85 dead after flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked Congress to recognise a state of public calamity after more than two-thirds of the almost 500 cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul were affected by flooding.

According to the state civil defence authority, more than 130 people are reportedly still missing, while 150,000 people are thought to be displaced.

Despite an improvement in weather conditions at the start of the week, showers are expected later in the week and could increase between 10 and 15 May, as reported by local weather forecaster MetSul Meteorologia. “The hydrological and meteorological scenarios are not at all favourable in the short and medium term,” it said. “Despite improvements in parts of the state, some areas will remain under severe conditions for a very long time.”

The Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, pointed out that the death toll could increase once rescue workers gained access to further regions.

Porto Alegre’s Salgado Filho International – one of Brazil’s busiest airports – has suspended operations.

Stéphan Malvoisin, Senior Vice President, Partnerships, US, at Crisis24, recently discussed how to manage the top travel risks of this year with the ITIJ team.