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00:00In the flooded streets of Eldorado do Sul, this wheeled loader driver has put all his
00:06energy into rescuing survivors like himself.
00:10He uses heavy machinery to save community members and their belongings, ferrying them
00:15in the bucket of his loader.
00:18It's repetitive ant-like work, days, nights, at dawn.
00:22There's no schedule.
00:24We take people away while others are returning.
00:27It's back and forth.
00:29It's this continuous routine of doing things and looking for people.
00:33We don't stop.
00:34We're very driven.
00:39Some 400 municipalities have been affected by the worst natural calamity ever to hit
00:44the southern Brazilian state, with more than 160,000 people forced from their homes.
00:50Many have no access to drinking water or electricity, or even the means to call for help, with telephone
00:56and internet services down in many places.
01:00Some 15,000 soldiers, firefighters, police and volunteers have been deployed on boats
01:07and jet skis to rescue those trapped and transport aid.
01:11This family found shelter on an overpass with a few belongings they saved from their destroyed
01:16house.
01:17I don't sleep.
01:21I stay awake all night because this bridge sways.
01:24It sways all the time because of the trucks that pass by.
01:28And I'm scared that it will fall.
01:30I'm also afraid that the water may reach us here.
01:36Rain in southern Brazil is forecast to let up on Thursday, but will recommence and continue
01:42through the weekend.