Death toll from Brazil floods clims to 169

Record rainfall and flooding in southern Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state have claimed 169 lives since the storms hit the state on April 29, the Civil Defense agency said Sunday.

More than 2.3 million Brazilians from 469 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul have been affected by the floods, according to the Brazilian government.

As weather forecasts have predicted more rain in the coming week in Porto Alegre and other major cities in the state, schools will be closed for 48 hours to minimize risks.

Rio Grande do Sul, which borders neighboring Argentina and Uruguay, is an important agricultural hub in Brazil and the top producer of rice in Latin America.