June 19 (UPI) — At least 11 people are dead and 20 remain missing following a winter storm in Brazil over the weekend.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil was hit by the extratropical cyclone, a storm system featuring torrential rain, on Friday, The New York Times reported. Search and rescue helicopters have been deployed to find those who are missing.
“Our priority at the moment is to find the missing and save people who may still be stranded by the floods,” Eduardo Leite, governor of Rio Grande do Sul, tweeted. “The government will continue to act on all fronts to ensure the safety of the population.”
Leite said he called for a meeting between the nation’s civil defense force and the governments of affected cities on Monday. About 2,300 people in his state are in need of shelter. CNN reported there have been about 2,400 rescues so far.
Leite and other government officials surveyed the area by helicopter on Saturday. They flew over Caraa, Maquine and Sao Leopoldo, some of the hardest-hit cities in the state.
“The situation in Caraah deeply concerns us. It is essential that we can, in an integrated manner, quickly map the main affected areas and identify the people who need support,” Leite said in a statement.
Some locations received nearly a foot of rain or more, damaging homes and infrastructure, even eroding streets. The state is under an ongoing risk of landslides.
