The death toll from the flood which devastated Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state this week has reached 537, local authorities said Friday.
According to the authorities, the flood is considered the worst natural disaster in Rio's history.
Authorities warned the death toll will keep rising, as hundreds of people are reportedly missing, feared buried under the mud and rocks. The access to at least four municipalities is still blocked, making it more difficult for rescue workers to reach the victims.
Electricity has yet to be restored in thousands of households. Water distribution and telephone services are scarce, and in some areas, communication is being carried out by radio.
Some 13,000 people had to leave their homes, and about half of those are currently in improvised shelters in schools and gyms. The local morgues are completely full, and residents gather in front of the buildings, hoping to locate their relatives and friends.
The chaos increased on Friday after a water tower broke in Nova Friburgo. Many residents got scared, and soon there was a rumor that one of the dams in the city had burst, which prompted people to try to flee.
"It was terrible to deal with such a rumor. Many people were sick," Rio's Vice-governor Luiz Fernando Pezao said.
Several dramatic rescues were made in the past three days.
In Sao Jose do Vale do Rio Preto, 53-year-old Ilair Pereira de Souza was rescued by her neighbors with a rope. She did not manage, however, to save her dog, which was carried away by the water. The scene was filmed by a local TV crew and aired on the main news programs.
"I thought I was going to die there. I asked my neighbors not to let me die there," she said.
In Nova Friburgo, 25-year-old Wellington da Silva Guimaraes and his six-month-old son Nicolas spent 15 hours under tons of mud and concrete before being rescued by firemen. Guimaraes' wife and mother-in-law, however, did not survive.
Rio's population gathered to help the victims of the tragedy. The city's main blood bank is receiving a high number of donors, and is likely to be crowded on the weekend. Over 120 tons of food and hygiene products have already been sent to the damaged areas, and several institutions are collecting clothes and mattresses.
The Brazilian Army sent 400 men to help with the rescue work, and the National Security Force sent 225. The Navy and the Fire Department set up three field hospitals in Nova Friburgo and Teresopolis. Six Army and two Navy helicopters are being used for rescues as well.
On Thursday, President Dilma Rousseff visited Nova Friburgo and promised to help the devastated areas.
She released 780 million reais (462 million U.S. dollars) for the reconstruction of the regions damaged by the floods, which include not only the devastated areas in Rio, but also some towns in the neighboring states of Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo.
The rain is continuing in Rio's mountain region, and is expected to last over the weekend.
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