the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has been facing extreme amounts of rain that caused massive flooding spurred violence and instilled fear of further disaster three young women from Rio Grande do Sul told Youth Journalism International about the impact of the rain and flooding According to Andressa Reis,  a 21-year-old student of architecture who lives in Santa Maria the heavy rains have been a part of her life since childhood “These incidents are now occurring every six months and the tendency is for them to become even more frequent,” said Reis the rain seemed like just another ordinary storm the situation became increasingly desperate and worrying we are still trying to understand the true dimension of this crisis There is no number that can describe how many people have been affected,” said Reis it took 19-year-old Sofia Mazin and her family eight hours to evacuate from their city of Esteio to take shelter in the family’s house on the beach said the flooding this year isn’t atypical “Every year we experience blackouts and run out of water and nothing is done to evacuate risk regions,” said Mazin The water destroyed some bridges,” said Reis “We couldn’t access running water for a couple of days the food supply in supermarkets ran out.” “The impacts were the city’s largest dams that exceeded safety levels in a matter of two days of rain and called an overflow alert and reached the surrounding neighborhoods and people had to leave their homes under pressure and heavy rain with concerns about whether the dams would hold,” said Reisdorfer Reisdorfer said the Galópolis neighborhood which had been a site of land exploration in the past it quickly washed away and buried houses before all residents had time to evacuate The women said that people who are displaced by the floods are preyed upon by criminals “It is shocking to witness how people take advantage of a moment of crisis moments like this to commit criminal acts,” said Reis “From looting in markets and scams on donation links diverting resources that were intended for emergencies.” they are at risk in shelters due to sexual assault,” said Reis “There are many cases of sexual assault in shelters so much so that female volunteers are being advised not to walk alone or leave children unattended,” said Mazin “Violence that used to happen in our communities is now losing control These inhumane actions that are happening at a critical moment really scare me.” Mazin’s family even hired a security company to protect the house from thieves who are taking advantage of the current vulnerability to break in and steal Life changed dramatically with the flooding and it can be frightening when clouds look like rain especially because we didn’t know what would happen many people didn’t even know about the rain forecast and even less about the magnitude,” said Reisdorfer described “a lot of fear” of rain that just keeps pouring It’s terrifying and makes you very nervous the backyard turns into a swimming pool,” said Mazin Reisdorfer’s city not only struggled with rainfalls but also experienced tremors or a small earthquake “We’re very worried about the earthquakes that happened on May 13th We believe that the rains are causing them,” said Reisdorfer Since most of the existing roads are compromised “This rain brought anguish and fear to us,” said Reisdorfer All three put some of the blame on government leaders “It is a direct result of environmental irresponsibility which is reflected in all political decisions including decisions dating back decades but also very recent decisions,” Reis said “Climate change is one of the explanations for what is happening and the lack of prevention from the government.” “Contingency actions in Brazil must protect people from future tragedies,” said Reisdorfer Reisdorfer called the flooding “a predictable disaster.” “What we’re living today are the disproportional consequences of the El Niño and climate change that are worse than ever,” said Reisdorfer.  El Niño a natural phenomenon that heats the Pacific Ocean affects countries along the Equator and in Brazil causes more rains in the Southern region and drought in the Northern According to Brazilian physicist Paulo Artaxo who is a member of the International Panel of Climate Change and a researcher at the University of São Paulo this climate tragedy was influenced by several things “All climatic models are showing that with the increase in global temperatures meaning that weather events will become more extreme,” Artaxo told the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo and it mainly impacts the low-income population so it is a strong factor in income concentration and this improvisation causes many additional deaths and losses for the low-income population who have nowhere to go,” Artaxo told the newspaper spent six days on the second floor of a house asking for rescue “Everyone lost their personal and movable property A lot of people had to go to shelters,” said Mazin She added that neighbors and friends supported each other and NGOs in the city gave a lot of support The rain brought a feeling of sadness throughout the entire country but it has been mobilizing thousands of volunteers from diverse places in Brazil to collaborate in shelters and through national and international fundraising initiatives.  post offices and other institutions both private and public are gathering donations from all corners of Brazil around 16 volunteer trucks mobilized to carry the donations “We’re receiving more than expected,” said Chief Leandro José Callegari of the Maringá Fire Department the initiative gathered around 130,000 liters of water and 145,000 kilograms of food Callegari said hundreds of people have helped “The Fire Department of Parana State is also sending specialized teams to collaborate with the nearby state This is not the first time we’ve done this type of work,” said Callegari “Our mission is helping the most vulnerable people.” According to the Rio Grande do Sul State Civil Defense the rain flooded more than 400 communities in the state and impacted almost 3 million people the number of dead from the flooding is at 161 Nicole Luna is a Correspondent with Youth Journalism International from Maringá Cassiane Saraiva is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro Together they reported and wrote this story “This incredibly important, worthwhile organization should be supported by everyone who cares about quality, ethical journalism.” — Nat Hentoff, First Amendment expert, in 2016 Consider making a recurring monthly donation Youth Journalism International / 30 Taylor St All donations in the USA are tax-deductible Pope Francis admonished us to humility and simplicity I didn’t know Pope Francis in a religious way The aftermath of floods in Brazil paints a heartbreaking picture of loss compounded by the harsh realities of violence and fear As survivors navigate through the devastation their resilience shines amidst unimaginable challenges It’s a stark reminder of the urgent need for support and swift action to rebuild lives and communities torn apart by natural disasters Nicole Luna is a Correspondent and Senior Illustrator from Maringá Cassiane Saraiva is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Belford Roxo Youth Journalism International connects student writers artists and photographers with peers around the globe and promotes and defends a free youth press “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” – Article 19 Youth Journalism International works all over the world. Click here to view a map of our impact You can find Youth Journalism International on Facebook Copyright © 2025 Youth Journalism International | Crafted by Cornershop According to reports from the state government 11 people have died and 18 were reported missing Damage to homes has left over 4,000 people displaced Many of those disaplced are being housed in emergency accommodation in local schools or other public buildings The Military Fire Department carried out about 2,400 rescues in two days teams were continuing to search for several people reported missing mostly in areas of Caraá and Três Forquilhas At least 7 major roads have been blocked or closed to traffic A bridge that connects Três Cachoeiras to Morrinhos do Sul was partially destroyed locate missing people and provide full support to families and the Secretariat for Logistics and Transport is already analysing compromised bridges and roads so that we can act in an emergency and free passage in these locations.” In total 49 municipalities in the state have bee affected by the severe weather As much as 300 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in Maquiné The level of the Caí River in the municipality of Montenegro jumped by more than 2 metres in a short space of time on 16 June Flooding affected several municipalities in northern parts of the state after heavy rainfall in early March 2023 One person died after a vehicle was swept away by the flooding of the Três Forquilhas river in Terra de Areia Thousands of people were displaced and 2 people died after prolonged rainfall caused multiple rivers to overflow in July 2020. Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList Lisandra Paraguassu and Ricardo Brito Ramos; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Gabriel Stargardter and Sandra Maler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved A DJ is reportedly dead after the collapse of a stage during the Atmosphere dance music festival in Esteio Video footage of the collapse (embedded below) shows a harrowing scene of wind gusts and looming storm clouds just before the stage's scaffolding begins to disassemble A statement from Atmosphere's organizers posted yesterday reads: "We always cherish the safety of our attendees reports and authorizations requested by the local authorities," continuing on to say that "we lost a friend Our priority is to assist the wounded and their families." According to Gauchazh 30-year-old DJ Kaleb Freitas was performing when the stage collapsed and was struck by debris Others were also reported to have been treated for injuries though reports conflict on the exact number of those hospitalized "A beautiful day, everyone happy ... and in a matter of seconds everything changes, only those who where there know how horrible it was," one festival attendee wrote. Freitas' Facebook page has been flooded with remembrances over the past day A request for further information from managers of the Parque de Exposições Assis Brasil was not immediately returned; neither was a request for information from the event's organizers. The promoter listed on the event's page does not appear to have a functioning website of its own A similar stage collapse in Canada in 2012 resulted in the death of Radiohead's drum technician Scott Johnson. Last month, Ontario's coroner opened an investigation into Johnson's death after charges against the concert's organizers were stayed in September Donate According to the Civil Defense of the states of Paraná more than 30,000 people have been affected Two people have died and 8 injured in Santa Catarina around 44 municipalities have been affected Around 3,000 homes have suffered damage and 248 people have been evacuated State Civil Defense say that around 900 homes have suffered damaged and 64 people have been displaced Floods and storms have caused disruption to water supply in 13 municipalities heavy rain was still falling in some ares of the state raising concern about levels of the Uruguay River at Itapiranga around 650 people are currently staying in shelters after evacuating from their homes Local Civil Defense say that Esteio is the worst affected area in the state and the city council there have declared an emergency situation A statement from Atmosphere's organizers posted yesterday reads: "We always cherish the safety of our attendees Become an NPR sponsor Brazil (Reuters) - The leading candidate in Brazil's presidential election is in serious but stable condition after being stabbed by an assailant at a campaign rally on Thursday pushing an already chaotic campaign into further disarray.Far-right firebrand Congressman Jair Bolsonaro a controversial figure who has enraged many Brazilians for years with divisive comments but has a devout following among conservative voters could take two months to fully recover and will spend at least a week in the hospital who operated on the candidate."His internal wounds were grave and put the patient's life at risk," Borsato said adding that a serious challenge now would be preventing an infection that could be caused by the perforation of Bolsonaro's intestines.The attack on Bolsonaro is a dramatic twist in what was already Brazil's most unpredictable election since the country's return to democracy three decades ago Corruption investigations have jailed scores of powerful businessmen and politicians in recent years and alienated infuriated voters.There were fears that violence could flare across Brazil on Friday as the nation celebrates its Independence Day and political groups are expected to march in hundreds of cities Bolsonaro's rival candidates called off their campaign activities for Friday.ELECTION IMPACTUnder Brazilian campaign laws Bolsonaro's tiny coalition has almost no campaign time on government-regulated candidate ad blocs on TV and radio That means he relies deeply on social media and raucous rallies around the country to drum up support If Bolsonaro is not able to go out in the streets it could jeopardize his campaign.But Flavio Bolsonaro said early Friday outside the hospital where his father was treated that he was conscious and the attack was a political boost."I just want to send a message to the thugs who tried to ruin the life of a family man a guy who is the hope for millions of Brazilians: You just elected him president He will win in the first round," said Flavio Bolsonaro.Bolsonaro is running as the law-and-order candidate and positioned himself as the anti-politician despite having spent nearly three decades in Congress where he has managed to author just a few laws.He has long espoused taking a radical stance on public security in Brazil which according to United Nations statistics has more homicides than any other country.Bolsonaro whose trademark pose at rallies is a "guns up" gesture with both hands to make them resemble pistols says he would encourage police to kill suspected drug gang members and other armed criminals with abandon.He has openly praised Brazil's military dictatorship and in the past said it should have killed more people.In casting his vote on the floor of Congress for the 2016 impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff he dedicated his ballot to the military regime figure who oversaw the prison where Rousseff was jailed for three years and brutally tortured.Bolsonaro faces trial before the Supreme Court for speech that prosecutors said incited hate and rape He has called the charges politically motivated.Political violence is rampant in Brazil at the local level.For instance in the months before 2016 city council elections in Baixada Fluminense a hardscrabble region the size of Denmark that surrounds Rio de Janeiro at least 13 politicians or candidates were murdered before ballots were cast.Earlier this year a Rio city councilwoman who was an outspoken critic of police violence against slum residents was assassinated.But violence against national political figures even in the extremely heated political climate that has engulfed Brazil in recent years is rare.SUSPECT CAUGHTThe Federal Police said in a statement that it had officers escorting Bolsonaro at the time of the knife attack and the "aggressor" was caught in the act It said the circumstances were being investigated.Local police in Juiz de Fora confirmed to Reuters that the suspect was in custody and that he appeared to be mentally disturbed.Oliveira was affiliated with the leftwing Socialism and Liberty Party from 2007 to 2014 in which it repudiated the violence.Police video taken at a precinct and aired by TV Globo showed Oliveira telling police that he had been ordered by God to carry out the attack."We do not know if it was politically motivated," said Corporal Vitor Albuquerque a spokesman for the local police.TV images showed Bolsonaro being carried on someone's shoulders in the middle of a crushing crowd of cheering supporters on one of the city's main streets when a knife was seen raised above heads just before it plunged into the candidate's body.The pictures show Bolsonaro screaming in pain then falling backward into the arms of those around him It took a few moments for the crowd to realize what occurred but they quickly rushed the candidate out of the street.A few people gathered outside the hospital where Bolsonaro was treated Thursday night where the scene was calm.Bolsonaro's rivals in the race expressed outrage at the attack.Fernando Haddad who will likely be the leftist Workers Party presidential candidate said the stabbing was a "shame" and a "horror."President Michel Temer and Bolsonaro's electoral rivals Ciro Gomes and Geraldo Alckmin all expressed disdain of the violence.Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Juiz de Fora Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia; Additional reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Carolina Mandl in Sao Paulo and Bruno Federowski in Brasilia; Editing by Grant McCool A DJ has tragically lost his life while performing when a violent windstorm caused the stage to collapse at a festival in Brazil The Atmosphere EDM Festival was struck by violent winds when extreme bad weather hit Esteio in Brazil Video footage captured by fans show the horrifying moment when the entire stage structure collapsed Fuertísima escena del derrumbe de un escenario en el festival Atmosphere de Brasil a causa de fuertes vientos. Murió el artista brasileño, DJ Kaleb, en ello. Descanse en paz 🙁 pic.twitter.com/bckeqY3aH5 — Trino Treviño (@trinodj) December 17, 2017 The stage structure at Atmosphere Festival collapsed after powerful winds hit part of Rio Grande do Sul this afternoon Video: MetSul Meteorologia pic.twitter.com/cMzUBwu8bH — EDM.com (@TheEDMNetwork) December 17, 2017 As Gauchazh reports 30-year-old DJ Kaleb Freitas was performing at the time He was reportedly hit by falling debris and pronounced dead at hospitals Others are also said to be undergoing treatment for varying degrees of injury “We always cherish the safety of our attendees, following all the processes, reports and authorizations requested by the local authorities,” said the festival in a statement Our priority is to assist the wounded and their families.” NOTA DE ESCLARECIMENTO OFICIAL Sempre prezamos pela segurança do nosso público Posted by Atmosphere Festival on Sunday, December 17, 2017 The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Published: Invalid Date, A DJ has been killed after part of a stage collapsed during a packed music festival in Brazil. Three others were injured when the set came down at the packed Atmosphere Festival in Esteio near the southern city of Porto Alegre. Revellers filming the party scene captured the tragic moment the metal structure over the stage came down during a storm. DJ Kaleb Freitas, who was performing at the time, was rushed to hospital critically injured after suffering head injuries but died soon after arrival. An investigation has now been launched into the the tragedy at the rave-style event, which went ahead despite severe weather warnings about heavy wind, hail and torrential rain. The stage collapse has been blamed on the adverse weather conditions. Friends of the performer, a 30-year-old who lived in Porto Alegre and whose real name is Kalleby Freitas da Rosa, took to Facebook today to pay tribute to the musician. Kaka Guimaraes wrote: “You were a person of great light and your smile charmed many people. "I told you that less than three weeks ago and be assured we will always remember you with a huge smile on your face. “You were a spectacular man. Your smile represented peace. No-one dies while they remain in peoples’ hearts.” Andressa Schorner added: “Angel of my heart, friendship without limits. We are selfish by nature and do not want to lose anyone but your day to go up to Heaven has come.” The tragedy struck at around 2pm yesterday local time. Footage showed revellers were dressed for summer despite the howling gale blowing and cloudy skies - and many appeared unaware tragedy had struck as they joked about the stage coming down over the sound of the music after filming the dramatic moment. Around 5,000 people were at the event around the time of the accident, which provoked a stampede near the stage as revellers fled en masse. Sergio Bandoca, one of the people in charge of the exhibition centre where the rave took place, said: “It was madness. "The scale of the tragedy could have been far worse. Things were flying all over the place. There was panic.” Officials said festival organisers Rave Atmosphere had the correct permits to stage the event and all their paperwork was in order. A spokesman for the firm said they would assist investigators in getting to the bottom of what happened, adding: “We’s devastated, we lost a friend, an artist. Local Civil Defence coordinator Alexandre Camboa said: “The forecast for Sunday afternoon was gale-force winds added: “The festival was staged in an open area and the speed and strength of the wind proved too much for the capacity of the metal structure over the stage.” We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ landslides and several rivers breaking their banks As many as 7,000 people have been evacuated from their homes A total of 23 towns and cities in the state have been affected by floods and heavy rainfall that began on Friday 23rd August Many areas have seen more than the monthly average of rain fall in just a few days Several major state roads have been blocked by landslides or flood water Brazil’s Defesa Civil reported that the rivers Antas, Paranhana, Caí, Taquari and Sapucaia Arroyo, all burst their banks after heavy rainfall, resulting in flood waters inundating the homes and streets. Some reports claim the River Taquari is 11 metres above normal levels One man is reported missing in San Francisco de Paula after he tried to cross a dam in his car and was swept away by the raging flood waters Local rescue services are still searching for the man Another person has been reported injured in a separate incident as a result of the floods Floods and landslides recently hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2008 and 2011 as many as 40,000 people were affected by flooding and mudslides after torrential rain Hundreds were made homeless and around 12 people died A state of emergency was declared in 7 cities in the state In November 2008 Rio Grande do Sul was hit hard by flooding although the bordering state of Santa Catarina suffered worse where 50 people died and 20,000 were left homeless Sources: Globo.com