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Climate change made devastating Brazil floods twice as likely, scientists say

Sao Paulo, Brazil Reuters Climate change made the recent flooding that devastated southern Brazil twice as likely, a team of international scientists said on Monday, adding that the heavy rains were also intensified by the natural El Nino phenomenon. More than 170 people were killed and nearly 580,000 displaced after storms and floods battered Brazil’s […]

Waterborne illness now threaten flood-ravaged southern Brazil

Porto Alegre, Brazil Reuters Waterborne diseases are now a risk in Brazil’s southernmost state, authorities say, as residents begin to return to flooded homes and clean up after catastrophic floods that killed at least 169 people. Rains that started in late April swelled several rivers and lakes in Rio Grande do Sul state to record […]

Heavy rains return to southern Brazil, flooding even higher ground in Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre, Brazil Reuters Heavy rains once again pounded parts of Brazil’s southernmost state on Thursday, ruining days-long clean-up efforts and flooding areas which had previously been untouched in Rio Grande do Sul’s capital city of Porto Alegre. Record flooding over the past month has killed 163 people and displaced around 600,000 more. Another 64 […]

Brazil flooding forces plan for ‘tent cities’ to house the displaced

Porto Alegre, Brazil Reuters Brazil’s southernmost state is planning at least four “tent cities” to accommodate some 8,000 people currently in improvised shelters due to the historic floods that have devastated the region. Heavy rains since the end of April caused record floods that killed at least 151 people in the state of Rio Grande […]

Brazil flooding will take weeks to subside, experts warn

Porto Alegre, Brazil Reuters Brazil’s southernmost state capital may suffer severe flooding for weeks to come, experts warn, compounding the struggles of half a million people forced to abandon their inundated homes. Parts of Rio Grande do Sul state have seen more than 630 mm of rain so far this month, national weather service INMET […]

Death toll from floods in Brazil hits 126 as rain returns

Canoas, Brazil Reuters Rains returned to Rio Grande do Sul on Friday as the death toll from historic floods in Brazil’s southernmost state reached 126, according to local authorities, climbing from 113 earlier in the day. Storms and floods battering the state, home to some 10.9 million people, have also displaced almost 340,000 while another […]