The town of Bento Goncalves recorded just over 21 inches of rain in the storm, while several other gauges in the area reported over 19 inches of rain.Santa Maria had 8.4 inches in one day, making it the wettest day on record there. That city received 18.5 inches in three days – corresponding to about three months of typical rain, according to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (NIM). Since April 26, unrelenting rains dropped about 20 inches. Flooding has covered several towns, shuttered over 2,300 schools and closed or blocked part of 68 highways, with many roads and bridges simply destroyed. The storm also triggered landslides and the partial collapse of a dam at a small hydroelectric power plant, according to Reuters.
