Flood catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul

Torrential rains have caused dramatic flooding in the southern state of Brazil. More than 100 missing people are being searched for, while the death toll continues to rise. The images of Copernicus are impressive

State completely submerged

The state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil is currently facing a severe crisis, as it is completely submerged under floodwaters. According to Reuters, as of today, May 7, over 110,000 people have been displaced across more than 500 municipalities. In response, the local government has declared a state of natural calamity.

Threats to Porto Alegre

Intense rainfall has caused the Guaíba Lake to swell by an alarming five meters, posing a significant threat to the state capital, Porto Alegre. The situation worsened when a hydroelectric dam collapsed after days of extreme weather events, leading to massive flooding and resulting in more than 70 fatalities.

Visible impact

The flooded areas around Porto Alegre are clearly visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from May 6.