State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil - May 12, 2024

The metropolitan regions of the capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, and the south of the state are flooded. More than 619,000 people have been displaced for their lives. The streets of dozens of towns in this Brazilian state bordering Argentina and Uruguay have become slow-flowing rivers.

Two weeks after the onset of torrential rains, the Guaiba River, which flows through the capital Porto Alegre, is rising again, having surpassed its highest level ever.

The measurement of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) reported that the level of the Guaiba, in Porto Alegre, reached 4.78 meters this Monday. Authorities expect that the river will continue to rise and could reach 5.5 meters.

Eduardo Leite, governor of the state, warned of new floods in at least four cities and advised the thousands of displaced people not to return because of the risk of landslides and rising rivers.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva decided to postpone his trip to Chile due to this climatic disaster, which has already left at least 148 dead and 127 missing. The Brazilian government considers that, with the rainfall of the last hours, the situation of the population will worsen.

This footage illustrates severe floods in State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.