
4 Missing After Tropical Storm Hits Brazil Thu May 6,10:15 PM ET
SAO PAULO, Brazil - A tropical storm forced 85 families to flee their homes in a southern Brazilian state Thursday, and four fisherman were missing after their boat reportedly capsized.
Civil defense officials in Santa Catarina state said heavy rains had caused the level of Arangua river to rise some eight inches, forcing families to flee. Port officials in Sao Paolo state were searching for the fishermen.
A rare hurricane hit the region March 28-29, leaving four dead and 60 injured and about $350 million in damages — mostly to property hit by winds as high as 90 mph.
The hurricane caught fishermen off guard, with a number of small craft still at sea when the storm hit.
Winds in the current storm were expected to reach only about 50 mph, said Gil Russo of the weather bureau's southern department, located in the Rio Grande do Sul state capital of Porto Alegre.
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