Brazil floods will become more common and costly

Significance As of May 13, 147 people had died, another 127 were missing and some 800 were injured as a result of the heavy rain that started in late April and the subsequent floods. Over 500,000 people have been displaced and 446 of the state’s 497 municipalities have been affected. Impacts Loss in the state’s agricultural output may affect national food prices in the coming months. Both the federal and state governments will seek to gain political capital from reconstruction efforts. With large numbers of houses destroyed, internal migration could grow in the coming months.