Brazil mounts frantic rescue effort as flooding kills 66

The Guaiba River, which flows through the city of 1.4 million people, reached a record high level of 5.3 meters (17.4 feet), according to the local municipality, well above the historic peak of 4.76 meters that had stood as a record since devastating 1941 floods.

Aerial view of flooded streets at the Sarandi neighborhood in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil on May 5, 2024. The challenge is titanic and against the clock: authorities and neighbours are trying to avoid an even greater tragedy than the one already experienced in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, where 66 people died and 80,000 were displaced by the floods, according to the authorities. (Photo by AFP)