According to the latest Civil Defense bulletin, 756 people were also injured, 71,409 were without shelter (they were placed in schools) and 339,928 had to take refuge in the homes of family and friends.

On the other hand, 70,863 residents and 9,984 animals were rescued.

Impacts from heavy rainfall and flooding were also reported in 92.3 thousand homes and the number of municipalities affected reached 441.

The bad weather in Rio Grande do Sul caused, so far, about eight billion reais (US$ 1.6 billion) of financial damage to the territorial division.

The devastating floods destroyed parts of some cities, such as Porto Alegre, the state capital, partially submerged and under a trail of destruction.

Cities such as Canoas and Eldorado are still under water, and others such as Muçum, of which only debris was left, are beginning to plan their reconstruction in higher areas and away from the riverbanks.

Although the priority is to rescue, the authorities announced on Friday a reinforcement of security, as there were cases of looting in localities and even sexual assaults in shelters for victims of the atmospheric catastrophe.

One of the main concerns is the economic impact of the crisis, since Rio Grande do Sul is an important agricultural center and the largest producer of rice in Brazil.

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