Brazil: Guaiba River Overflow Keeps Porto Alegre Flooded

On Wednesday, the Porto Alegre city council announced that the water level of the Guaiba River began to decrease in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, where floods have caused 96 deaths and 130 people are missing so far.

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The water level dropped to 5.12 meters, which means it decreased by 15 centimeters compared to Tuesday. However, this level still exceeds the 3-meter mark at which the Guaiba River overflows and causes floods.

This situation is unlikely to change in the next few days. Porto Alegre is a city with a population of 1.5 million people that has remained partially flooded for over 8 days.

The Guaiba River overflow has have kept entire neighborhoods submerged in Porto Alegre, where the airport looks like a large lagoon and the football stadiums are muddy fields.

Due to the lack of electricity and drinking water, its inhabitants have had to take refuge in coastal areas where basic services and provisions are available.

Currently, there are 1.5 million displaced people and about 400 injured in Rio Grande do Sul, where 80 percent of the municipalities have been affected by the floods.

More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, while rescue teams, with the support of the Armed Forces, are still working to find survivors who are cut off from communication.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite stated that his state is experiencing "a situation of war" due to a climatic tragedy that could worsen as a new storm is about to arrive.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva has promised to provide all necessary resources to rebuild Rio Grande do Sul, a powerful agricultural hub that is strategic for the Brazilian economy.