Brazil: 11 dead and 20 missing after cyclone strikes in south

At least 11 people have been killed in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul after an extra-tropical cyclone struck the region on Friday, according to the state’s authorities.

The storm caused torrential rains and helicopter searches are underway in flooded neighborhoods to find 20 others who have gone missing, the government of Rio Grande do Sul said in a press release.

One of the worst hit on the cyclone’s trail was the town of Caraa, with a population of over 8,000 people.

“The situation in Caraa deeply worries us. It is essential that we can, in an organized way, quickly map the main affected areas and identify the people who need support,” said Rio Grande do Sul’s governor, Eduardo Leite, who visited the area.