Brazilian railway operator Rumo announced a partial interruption of its activities in southern Brazil on Monday due to the heavy rains and flooding affecting Rio Grande do Sul, the country’s southernmost state.
“Train circulation is currently partially interrupted in the region and damage to assets is still being duly measured,” the company said in a statement to investors.
According to state authorities, 83 people have died in the current crisis, and 111 others are missing. Floods have caused landslides, damaged homes, and blocked roads. Over 129,000 people have been displaced, and over 20,000 are in shelters.
The federal government on Sunday declared a state of calamity in 336 of the 495 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, which helps accelerate the allocation of federal funds to address the needs of areas hit by disasters.
Fraport Brasil, a subsidiary of Germany’s Fraport AG and the company in charge of the international airport in Porto Alegre, the state’s capital, reiterated on Monday that the airport will remain closed for an undetermined period of time. The airport has been shut down indefinitely since Friday.
Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said in an interview that he expects the airport to be reopened by May 10.
Rumo’s announcement follows those of other companies that interrupted logistical activities in Rio Grande do Sul. Braskem, Latin America’s largest petrochemical group, announced a total shutdown of its operations in the city of Triunfo on Saturday due to “heavy rains, flooding, and road closures,” a “preventive” measure “in the face of a possible scenario of interruption in the water supply.”
Major steel producer Gerdau also announced on Monday a shutdown in the state for an indefinite period.
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