• The dam’s collapse triggered a two-meter wave, exacerbating the already flooded areas.
• Meteorologists predict additional rainfall as a cold front moves across the region.
• Last year, a cyclone claimed over 30 lives in Rio Grande do Sul, attributed to El Niño.

After days of heavy rains, a hydroelectric dam collapsed in southern Brazil, unleashing massive flooding that has claimed the lives of more than 30 people. Officials report that another 60 individuals are missing in Rio Grande do Sul state. Since Saturday, approximately 15,000 residents have evacuated their homes. The disaster has left at least 500,000 people without power and access to clean water throughout the state.

The burst dam unleashed a two-meter (6.6ft) wave, sparking panic and exacerbating the damage in the already flooded areas. Situated between the municipality of Cotiporã and the city of Bento Gonçalves, the dam’s collapse intensified the crisis. The extreme weather stems from a rare combination of hotter-than-average temperatures, high humidity, and strong winds.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the region, pledging assistance from the central government. Before his visit, state Governor Eduardo Leite appealed for urgent help, stating, “We need to rescue hundreds of people in dozens of municipalities.” Helicopters have been dispatched to search for stranded individuals.

In some areas, the flooding has become so severe that helicopters have been unable to land, forcing them to winch residents to safety. In the Candelária municipality, residents were compelled to take refuge on the roofs of their homes as floodwaters inundated their houses. Meteorologists have forecasted additional rainfall for the region as a cold front moves across it.

Last year, a cyclone claimed the lives of more than 30 people in Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology attributed the heightened intensity and frequency of rainfall to the climate phenomenon El Niño.

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