In a well-planned rescue operation, a horse trapped on a rooftop for two days amidst severe flooding in southern Brazil was saved by rescuers on Thursday.
A video captured by Brazil’s TV Globo’s news helicopter showed the horse stranded on the roof of a farmhouse in Canoas, a town located north of Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state.
The horse was left behind by its owners after they abandoned their home. Soon after the video went viral, the Rio Grande do Sul Department of Civil Defense launched a mission to rescue the animal.
The precarious situation prompted Canoas Mayor Jorge da Silva to urgently request assistance to prevent the animal from falling. Volunteer rescuers, aided by army veterinarians, swiftly mobilised to secure the horse and transport it to safety using a Zodiac inflatable boat, according to a report by news agency Reuters.
The rescue comes amidst unprecedented flooding triggered by heavy rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul, claiming 107 lives, with 136 still reported missing in inundated towns where streets have been transformed into rivers.
Additionally, the international airport in the state capital Porto Alegre, has been severely impacted, with its runways submerged under floodwaters, rendering it inoperable for a month. Even the football stadium, Arena do Grêmio, has not been spared from the floods.
Over 164,000 people have been displaced by the floods, with forecasts indicating the likelihood of further rainfall in the coming days.