Death toll rises to 154 from south Brazil's weather catastrophe

SAO PAULO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Death toll from storms and floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul since April 29 has risen to 154, the civil defense agency said Friday.

According to the agency, nearly 2.3 million people were affected in at least 461 municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, while a total of some 620,000 people were evacuated to shelters.

The agency added that more than 82,00