The passage of a cyclone, between Thursday and Friday through the extreme south of Brazil, left eleven dead and twenty missing, the local government announced this Saturday.
“According to the State Sub-prefecture for Civil Protection and Defense, 11 people died from the effects of the cyclone,” the government of the state of Rio Grande du Sud, on the border with Uruguay and Argentina, reported in a statement. “Eighteen people are still missing in Caraa and two in Tres Forquilhas,” two towns in the eastern part of the region, the statement said.
Over 600 residents evacuated
In prevention, 602 inhabitants had been evacuated from risk areas. A total of 2,330 saw their homes damaged. The governor of the state, Eduardo Leite, went on Saturday by helicopter to the most affected areas, accompanied in particular by lifeguards.
In Caraa, a community center has been transformed into a shelter to house the hundreds of victims. “The situation in Caraa worries us deeply. It is essential that we can (…) quickly map the main affected areas and identify those who need help,” said Eduardo Leite, quoted in the press release.
According to him, state firefighters have already come to the aid of 2,400 people in the regions affected by the cyclone. “Our main objective is first to protect and save lives. Rescue isolated people, locate the missing and provide assistance to families,” said Eduardo Leite.
Source: BFM TV
