Brazil floods: Death toll climbs to 106, 10 still missing; flooding likely to intensify

At least 106 deaths have been confirmed and more than 10 are reported to be missing as flood fury rages across Brazil. According to the updated data shared by the Jair Bolsonaro government, an alert was issued on Tuesday regarding the possibility of more flooding in the Pernambuco, Jaboatao dos Guararapes and Recife regions. The states which suffered severe impact are Pernambuco and Alagoas, noted the Brazil Civil Defence. President Jair Bolsonaro, who surveyed the flood-hit region on a helicopter on Monday, stated that his main priority is to save maximum lives. 

"We’re all obviously sad. We express our sympathy to family members. Our bigger objective is to comfort families and also, with material means, attend to the population," Bolsonaro said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday. 

Brazil floods displace more than 6,200 people 

President Bolsonaro further noted the country has recently experienced similar disasters in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro, in southern Bahia state and in Minas Gerais state. Notably, Brazil lacks urban planning in low-income areas, resulting in frequent flooding. According to the experts familiar with the geographical orientation of the country, climate change contributes to more intense rainfall. Moreover, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has classified Recife’s metropolitan region as one of the world’s most vulnerable cities. "Unfortunately, these catastrophes happen in a continent-sized country," President said noting the frequency of the natural disasters in the country. 

Meanwhile, the state’s civil defence authority said in a statement that the flooding has displaced more than 6,200 people from their homes, and has reinforced its alert about the still-high risk of landslides. Rain has continued, albeit with less intensity. "The National Centre for Monitoring and Alerts for Natural Disasters (CEMADEN) issued red alerts for hydrological risks over the coastal area of the affected States while geological risks are in effect for eastern Pernambuco," according to the statement.

Image: AP