Race against time as death toll rises after rain leaves much of southern Brazil underwater

At least 75 people have died and more than 100 others are missing after flooding in southern Brazil that also displaced more than 80,000 people, local authorities said yesterday.

- Ashifa Kassam

Brazil's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived in Rio Grande do Sul state yesterday, along with most members of his cabinet to discuss rescue operations and reconstruction works with the state authorities.

Rescue efforts continued, with 4x4 vehicles and jetskis being used to move through waist-deep water in the race to save people from the flooding and mudslides.

A video posted online by Lula appeared to show a helicopter dropping a soldier on the roof of a house, and the soldier using a brick to pound a hole in the roof and rescue a baby wrapped in a blanket.

Storms have affected nearly two-thirds of the state's 497 cities, leading to landslides, destroyed roads and collapsed bridges as well as power and water cuts. More than 1 million people lacked access to drinking water, according to Brazil's civil defence agency.