Flooding forecast to worsen in Brazil’s south, where many who remain are poor

By MAURICIO SAVARESE and ELÉONORE HUGHES
Associated Press

ELDORADO DO SUL, Brazil (AP) — More heavy rain has started coming down in Brazil’s already flooded Rio Grande do Sul state. Many of those remaining on Saturday are poor people with limited ability to move to less dangerous areas. Brazil’s national meteorology institute says that nearly six inches of rain could fall over the weekend. It says there is also a high likelihood that winds will intensify and water levels rise in the Patos lagoon next to state capital Porto Alegre and the surrounding area. Authorities said Friday that at least 126 people have died in the floods since they began last week and 141 more are missing. More than 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes with 70,000 are those sheltering in gyms, schools and other temporary locations.