At least three dead and 12 are missing due to an extratropical cyclone in southern Brazil

Madrid, June 17 (European press) –

At least three people were killed in southern Brazil and twelve others are still missing as a result of the extratropical cyclone.

“Unfortunately, we have confirmed the third death and there are still missing people,” said the governor of Rio Grande do Sul state, Eduardo Leite, on Friday on his Twitter account.

The total number of missing people reached twelve, according to the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, which also estimates the number of state electricity company customers left without lighting at 250,000.

Leite stressed that his “priority at this time is to find the missing and rescue people who are still cut off by the floods” and that all teams are working “extensively” in the rescue effort.

However, the governor insisted that “at the same time, the damage to bridges, roads and houses will be assessed in order to work on restoring these buildings.”

Local authorities urged residents of the area to avoid traveling to the affected areas and to stay in their homes as long as they are safe.