Rains in RS: number of deaths reaches 166; rivers and lakes are above flood level

Rio Grande do Sul reached the mark of 166 deaths related to the floods that hit the state. The update was made by the state Civil Defense in the balance released early this Saturday evening (25). Another 61 people are missing and 806 were injured due to the storms.

According to the bulletin, 2,345,400 people were affected by the rains in 469 municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In total, 581,638 are homeless and another 55,791 are in temporary shelters. State security forces have already rescued 77,639 victims and 12,497 animals since the floods began.

River levels

According to monitoring data from the government of Rio Grande do Sul, as of 5pm this Saturday (25), four of the state's seven rivers are still above the flood level.

See numbers:

• Guaíba River (Porto Alegre) – 4.09 meters (flood level: 3 meters);
• Rio dos Sinos (São Leopoldo) – 4.76 meters (flood level: 4.5 meters);
• Gravataí River (Passo das Canoas) – 5.40 meters (flood elevation: 4.75 meters);
• Taquari River (Muçum) – 6.04 meters (flood level: 18 meters);
• Caí River (Feliz) – 3.69 meters (flood level: 9 meters);
• Uruguay River (Uruguaiana) – 8.37 meters (flood elevation: 8.50 meters);
• Lagoa dos Patos (Laranjal) – 2.07 meters (flood elevation: 1.30 meters).

Rainiest May in the capital

According to preliminary figures from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), the month of May 2024 is the wettest in history in Porto Alegre, with an accumulated rainfall of 477.6mm.

The number exceeds May 1941 – until then the wettest month of May -, when 405.5mm were recorded. And it is also higher than September 2023, when 447.3mm was recorded, considered the rainiest month in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul since 1916.

Rainiest months:

• 477.2 mm May 2024 (preliminary number);
• 447.3 mm September 2023;
• 405.5 mm May 1941;
• 403.6 mm June 1944;
• 386.6 mm April 1941;
• 365.6 June 1982.