Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's trip to Chile would take place on May 17 and 18, but the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported today that the visit "was postponed due to the need to monitor the flood situation in Rio Grande do Sul and to coordinate assistance to the affected population and reconstruction tasks".

According to Rio Grande do Sul's Civil Defense, 147 people have lost their lives to the floods and landslides that have affected the state since April 30. Another death was recorded in Santa Catarina last week.

Over the weekend, the rains came back with force, raising the alert.

The previous report, released on Sunday by local authorities, had confirmed 144 deaths in this Brazilian state.

According to Civil Defense, the number of displaced people exceeds 538,000, of whom more than 80,000 have had to seek refuge in shelters set up by the authorities of Rio Grande do Sul.

There are also 806 injured and 127 missing. The heavy rains affect more than two million people living in 447 cities in the southernmost state of Brazil.

Almost all cities in Rio Grande do Sul remain on alert due to weather forecasts and rescue forces are taking advantage of the few moments when the storms calm down to continue the search.

In addition to torrential rains, strong winds and low temperatures are expected, which could last until Tuesday.

On Sunday, the National Center for Disaster Monitoring and Alert issued a high-risk warning for landslides in practically the entire state and in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, the regional capital of Rio Grande do Sul, with special attention to Serra Gaúcha.

Throughout the state, actions to provide food, clothing, blankets, and medicines continue, at a time when electricity and water services are gradually being restored.

The damage caused by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul is estimated at around 19 billion reais (about 3.4 billion euros), according to the regional government.

On Saturday, the Brazilian Government published, in an extra edition of the Official Gazette, a provisional measure that opens an extraordinary credit of 12.1 billion reais (2.2 billion euros) for actions in Rio Grande do Sul. The total aid announced for Rio Grande do Sul exceeds 60 billion reais (10.8 billion euros).

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