River flood in RS takes families out of their homes and closes duty-free shops on the border with Uruguay

Flooding river caused flooding on both sides of the border between Brazil and Uruguay The rise of the Jaguarão River caused flooding on both sides of the border between Brazil and Uruguay, forced dozens of families to leave their homes and affected the operation of stores in the commercial region of Rio Branco, a Uruguayan city separated from the state of Rio Grande do Sul by the river, this Wednesday (19). In Jaguarão, in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, around 40 families had to leave their properties affected by the water. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp A temporary shelter was installed in the municipal gymnasium to receive displaced residents. While part of the population sought refuge in safe places, other people remained at home to protect their belongings. "We had to lift things all the way up", reports fisherman Rodrigo Martinez. The Jaguarão River remains above the flood level of 4.50 meters. At around 6pm, the river was at 4.90 meters. The situation keeps the city hall on alert, especially due to the forecast of more rain in the coming days. Classes and commerce14884110 Stores in the city of Rio Branco, in Uruguay, reinforced the protection of entrances with sandbags to try to prevent flooding. Reproduction/ RBS TV The impacts of the flood reached the municipality’s routine. Classes were suspended in the 25 schools in the municipal network, leaving more than two thousand students without face-to-face activities. In the Uruguayan municipality of Rio Branco, the flood advanced onto streets and commercial areas. In the region where duty-free shops are concentrated, traffic was limited to residents and workers. Some stores did not open due to the advance of water. In other establishments, traders reinforced the protection of entrances with sandbags to try to prevent flooding. Civil Defense monitors weather conditions and river behavior. According to the agency, the forecast of rain and gusts of wind for the region requires attention from authorities and the population in the coming days. "We are in compliance because we have a forecast for tomorrow, where it could rain 25, 40, 50 millimeters perhaps, here in our southern region of the state. Likewise, we are worried about the wind too, which has gusts of 50, 60 per hour, reaching 80, all due to the influence of a cyclone that will arrive here in our state of Rio Grande do Sul", comments the regional coordinator of Civil Defense Cel. Marcio Facin. Flooding of the Jaguarão River in the city of Rio Branco, Uruguay Images provided/ Gustavo Echevengua VIDEOS: Everything about RS