More than 40 cities in Rio Grande do Sul recorded some type of damage caused by the storms that have been hitting the region since Friday (17). The main occurrences are roof damage and fallen trees due to strong winds. There were also problems with the electrical grid.
The report was released by the state Civil Defense at around 8:30 PM this Sunday (19). The agency said it set up a regional crisis office in Santa Maria to facilitate assistance to municipalities.
In Santa Maria and also in São José dos Ausentes, Sunday's winds reached 90 km/h. More than 20 homes in Santa Maria suffered roof damage, as well as two schools.
Winds above 70 km/h were also recorded in the cities of Jaguarão, Dom Pedrito, and Dilermando de Aguiar.
In total, 19 people had to leave their homes due to the damage. They are staying with relatives and friends.
In Barra do Quaraí, a high-voltage cable fell on the road right at the entrance to the city, leaving the entire municipality without power, water, or internet. Services have since been restored.
In the city of Giruá, the winds tore off the roof of an unoccupied warehouse, and the structure struck a utility pole. There were no injuries.
Another incident was recorded in Venâncio Aires, where a health unit was partially unroofed.
In the municipality of Alegrete, the bridge over the Capivari stream was submerged by floodwaters. Over 12 hours, the accumulated rainfall in the city reached 107.2 mm. Heavy rain also fell in Quaraí (103.8 mm) and Rosário do Sul (99.2 mm).
According to Civil Defense, Monday (20) continues to present conditions for intense and heavy rainfall over a short period of time, particularly in areas of the West, Central region, and Valleys, where there is the possibility of more than 100 mm per day.
There is also a risk of isolated severe storms in the central strip of the state, also according to the agency.
