The recent heavy flooding has devastated southern Brazil more than anybody ever imagined, with one of the country's most important agricultural states being hammered by extreme weather that has left homes and businesses submerged underwater as flooding continues.

Rio Grande Sul suffered the most, and the flooding has forced many schools to close down. The state has over 2,000 public schools, nearly a fifth of which remain closed, leaving approximately 185,000 students without classrooms to learn in.

"We have children who are completely traumatized. When it starts raining they panic," Rio Grande do Sul state Education Secretary Raquel Teixeira told Reuters in a statement.

The rains began in late April and did not stop for weeks, battering Rio Grande do Sul state and causing several rivers and lakes to overflow and swell to record highs, killing over a hundred people and leaving more than 580,000 survivors homeless. Many parts of the state are still submerged, including many schools.

This can be seen in the state capital Porto Alegre, which is located near the Guaiba river. The river is still above flood levels and one primary school, Brasilia, is still partially underwater. Its soccer field has been described as a pool and classrooms and books are covered in mud.

"We have impacts on infrastructure, physical and material; we have pedagogical impacts; we have psychological, and we have emotional impacts," the state education official added.

Farmers Lose Harvests Because of Brazil Floods

Rio Grande do Sul is considered one of Brazil's most important agricultural states, producing rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, and dairy for the country, as well as the international market. Weeks after the flooding began, the losses are slowly coming into focus.

READ MORE: Brazil Floods Not Subsiding Any Time Soon as Disinformation Complicates Situation in Flooded South

Edite de Almeida is a farmer who raises chickens and farms in the state. She told Reuters that of her 60 egg-laying hens, only eight survived, while their cows had nowhere to graze in the flooded landscape.

"I'm not mourning. I'm grateful because there are many who lost far more than us, I'm grateful we survived and I mourn for those who lost family," she said. "Now the priority is to save the animals. The calves are still nursing."

Inacio Hoffmann, 60, lost 13 of his 22 dairy cows. He told Reuters, "It's so bleak to haul off and bury these creatures that we took care of every day," adding that he is now trying to "leave it all behind and try a new life elsewhere."

Brazil Flood Death Toll Reaches 169

As for the death toll on humans, 169 people have already lost their lives to the severe flooding in Southern Brazil, according to the country's Civil Defence agency. Three more bodies were recovered recently, as recovery operations continue.

The Sun reported that 56 people are still missing, and over 2.3 million residents have been displaced. Rio Grande do Sul Gov. Eduardo Leite stated that it would take at least a year to rebuild the infrastructure damaged by the floods.

READ MORE: Brazil Floods: Lula Visits State Affected by Severe Floods as Death Toll Reaches 29

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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