A tornado accompanied by heavy rain, hail, and strong wind gusts struck several localities in southern Brazil on Tuesday afternoon and night, mainly in the rural area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, leaving seven people injured, causing material damage, flooding, and overflowing rivers.
Footage filmed in Lajeado on Wednesday shows flooding on streets and avenues due to the rising levels of the Taquari and Forqueta rivers.
The Civil Defence Monitoring Centre of Rio Grande do Sul reported that the phenomenon reached rural areas of the municipalities of Girua, Sete de Setembro, Lajeado, and Senador Salgado Filho.
According to the agency, the tornado was recorded at around 18:25 local time and was associated with a ‘supercell’, a storm system capable of generating large hail, intense winds, and tornadoes.
“The water arrives and rises, and we do not have specific data that would allow us to know with certainty how far it will reach. It is very difficult to predict, but at least an estimate would help us know what to do: whether to leave, whether to stay, or whether to take our things,” said Carlos Afranio Lazzaron, a resident of Lajeado.
Affected families had to temporarily leave their homes and move to shelters or relatives’ houses, while municipal services worked on assistance and recovery in the affected areas.
At the site, the resident also pointed out the difficulties families face in removing their belongings amid the flooding.
“The lack of trucks to help neighbours remove their belongings is also a constant problem. There are families who are taken to shelters or to the homes of friends, relatives, or acquaintances,” remarked Lazzaron.
Authorities continue monitoring, assistance, and damage assessment work while local communities once again face a scenario of recovery and adaptation to extreme weather events.
The latest flooding revived memories of the disasters that devastated Rio Grande do Sul in 2023 and 2024. Torrential rain in September and November 2023 caused rivers to overflow, triggered landslides and damaged communities across the state, with the Taquari Valley among the worst-hit areas.
In late April and May 2024, record rainfall caused the Taquari, Forqueta and other waterways to burst their banks, while Lake Guaiba reached record levels. The flooding inundated towns and cities, forced mass evacuations and caused widespread destruction across urban and rural communities.
Source: Viory
