This May 5, after praying the Regina Coeli Marian prayer, the Holy Father expressed his closeness and raised his prayers for the populations of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, affected by major floods, which since last May 2 May have flooded cities, destroyed roads and left more than 55 dead, 74 missing and 107 injured, as well as 17,000 people homeless.
Vatican News
“May the Lord welcome the deceased and console the relatives and those who have had to leave their homes,” Pope Francis said after praying the Marian prayer of Regina Colei of this VI Sunday of Easter, by assuring his closeness and prayers to the populations of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil, affected by major floods.
Floods extend to Porto Alegre
The floods that have flooded cities, destroyed roads and left more than 55 dead, 74 still missing and 107 injured, as well as 17,000 homeless people mainly in the Taquari Valley and Serra Gaúcha regions of Rio Grande do Sul, have spread to the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, in Brazil. Since Thursday, May 2, the waters have invaded the streets of the historic center of the city and the capital’s bus station, despite the fact that the gates of the Guaíba River were closed. The level of the river, which bathes the capital, has exceeded the flood level, reaching more than 4 meters, the highest level of the Guaíba since 1941, when Porto Alegre experienced the largest flood in its history.
