Death toll from Brazil floods rises to 75

Sao Paulo, May 6 (IANS) At least 75 people have died from severe storms that inundated large swaths of south Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state since April 29, the Civil Defense agency said in its latest report.

Another 155 people have been injured with 103 still missing, while 107,600 people have been evacuated to safety in 334 of the state's 496 cities, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the figures released on Sunday.

The state, which borders Argentina and Uruguay, has been ravaged by record downpours that have devastated numerous towns and lead to unprecedented flooding in the state capital of Porto Alegre, where the Guaiba River burst its banks.

According to the Civil Defense agency, some 780,000 residents have been affected by flooding, with thousands of people forced to flee their homes by boats or climb onto rooftops in hope of being rescued by helicopters.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite described the situation in his state as a "war scene."