Southern Brazil: Floodwaters Rise Again Amidst Evacuation Surge

The skies opened once again in southern Brazil, offering little respite for those whose homes have been swallowed by floodwaters, while the number of people forced to evacuate doubled in 24 hours.

Residents of the state of Rio Grande do Sul were bracing for a weekend of heavy rainfall, hitting just as waters that turned city streets into rivers had begun to subside.

The deluge -- which experts link to climate change exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon -- has affected almost two million people, leaving 126 dead and 756 injured.

Another 141 people are still missing, according to authorities.

The state capital Porto Alegre, home to 1.4 million inhabitants, tried to resume some normalcy, with some businesses opening and traffic blocking streets as waters receded.

But then, the menacing gray clouds delivered a fresh downpour.

The region expects precipitation with "intense winds and hail," according to the National Institute of Meteorology. 

The MetSul Meteorologia site reported "a new period of intense atmospheric instability," with up to 200 mm of rain.

The state's Guaiba River, which runs through Porto Alegre, reached historic levels this week.

In the past 24 hours, the number of people forced to flee their homes almost doubled to around 411,000 people, according to civil defense figures.

More than 71,000 are being housed in shelters.

With water supplies still cut, bottles of clean drinking water are a scarce commodity in Porto Alegre, while tanker trucks deliver to shelters and hospitals.

In the devastated town of Eldorado do Sul, boats pass through the flooded streets, carrying food to those who refuse to leave their homes, fearing looting.

The muddy floodwaters have destroyed more than 85,000 homes, and struck a blow to the economy of the important agricultural region.