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Sao Paulo, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains have fallen in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in recent days, causing floods and landslides, causing serious casualties and property damage. Satellite images show that local streets, houses, roads, airports, stadiums and other public infrastructure have been flooded in large quantities, and the damage has been severe. Local authorities have warned residents who have evacuated their homes not to return to their homes for the time being.
The weather forecast indicates that this round of rain will continue until the 15th, while a cold snap may lead to frost in the southern part of Rio Grande do Sul. The water level of the Guaiba River in Porto Alegre, the capital of the state, reached a record 5.3 meters on the 5th. The central areas and neighborhoods of Porto Alegre have been flooded, and the bus station and airport have been suspended. Affected by a new round of rainfall, the hydrological department expects that the water level of the river may reach 5.5 meters.
A comparison of remote sensing images taken by the Jilin-1 satellite of China's Changguang Satellite Company shows that the neighborhood near the ferry terminal of Porto Alegre has been badly damaged, and the roads near the Gremio Arena and the runway of the Little Salgadou airport have been completely flooded. If the water level of the Guaiba River continues to rise, the damage will be even worse.
From 1 to 10 May, more than 600 mm of rain has accumulated in parts of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, according to measurements from the Brazilian National Meteorological Institute. According to the National Weather Channel, Porto Alegre has received 215.61 mm of rain this month, making May 2024 the wettest month since 1961. Porto Alegre previously had an average precipitation of 93.98 mm in May.
Eduardo Wright, the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, declared a state of emergency in the state on the afternoon of the 6th, saying that "this is the biggest disaster that Rio Grande do Sul has ever faced." ”
The state of Rio Grande do Sul has been hit by torrential rains since the end of April. According to the communiqué issued by the local civil defense department on the 13th, the flood has killed 147 people and left 127 missing. According to the local social development department, more than 500,000 people have been left homeless, most of whom have chosen to seek refuge with relatives and friends, and have been evacuated to other places. In addition, the local government has set up 722 shelters for more than 80,000 residents. Most shelters have a sufficient number of functional bathrooms, kitchens, and spaces for children and young people to relax and socialize, as well as security, medical, and psychological counseling teams to provide services to evacuees.
Brazil's federal government announced a rescue package on the 9th, which will invest 50.9 billion reais (about 9.9 billion U.S. dollars) to help residents, businesses, state governments and municipal governments in Rio Grande do Sul. According to Wright's previous statement, preliminary calculations show that at least 19 billion reais (about $3.68 billion) will be needed for post-disaster reconstruction.
Affected by the El Niño phenomenon, Brazil has recently experienced a series of extreme weather events, with drought in the north and frequent heavy rainfall in the south. Experts say climate change is leading to an increase in the likelihood of such events.
Brazilian meteorologist Carlos Nobre said that rainfall in the southern region of Brazil doubled from the whole year of 2023 to the first four months of 2024, while rainfall in the north plummeted. In less than a year, Brazil has experienced four floods, including two in Rio Grande do Sul in September and November last year.
Claire Nallis, a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, said at a recent press conference that the disaster in Rio Grande do Sul was the result of "the double whammy of El Niño and climate change." "Even if El Niño does not exist, the long-term effects of climate change will be with us. Every degree of temperature increase means that our weather becomes more extreme. (Participating reporters: Zhang Xiao, Qiao Ying, Li Yannan; Editor: Sun Shuo; Editors: Ma Xiao, Lu Yu, Wang Fengfeng, Wang Shen)