President of the Republic conveys condolences to Lula da Silva following the floods – Politics

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, sent this Saturday a message of condolences to the President of Brazil for the victims of the floods that are hitting Rio Grande do Sul, conveying Portugal’s solidarity.

“Following the devastating floods that have hit the State of Rio Grande do Sul, causing the death of dozens of people, as well as the displacement of numerous families, and seriously affecting thousands of homes and essential infrastructures, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa broadcast to the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, on his behalf and that of the Portuguese people, Portugal’s solidarity at this difficult time”, reads a message published on the Presidency’s website.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also conveyed “heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims”.

The number of fatalities due to the two storms that have been ravaging the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, has risen to 39 since Monday, with 68 people still missing, according to authorities.

“Unfortunately, there are already 39 lives lost and 68 missing due to meteorological phenomena in RS [Rio Grande do Sul]”, informed the state governor, Eduardo Leite, in a publication on the social network X.

Security forces rescued eight thousand people, while another 24 thousand are displaced as a result of the floods, which have already affected 265 municipalities of the 497 that make up the state.

The state governor, Eduardo Leite, indicated that more than 2,000 members of the State’s security forces and at least another 1,000 from the Armed Forces were deployed to the field, who are “working tirelessly on the rescues”.

Local authorities issued a warning for Porto Alegre, the state capital, and the metropolitan region, which are at risk of being affected in the coming hours by the volume of water from Lake Guaíba.

Unlike the storm that hit the state in 2023, when the rains were concentrated in just a few areas, this time it affected the entire territory, becoming the “biggest disaster” the region has ever faced.

The central government recognized the state of calamity decreed by local authorities.