Tornado kills one, causes damage in southern Brazil

The storms which affected Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state over the weekend caused one death and left extensive damage, local authorities said on Monday.

Irineu Aloisio Huber, 66, died in the town of Campina das Missoes, in the state's northwestern region, as the flood of the Pessegueirinho River, with the water level rising nine meters above its usual levels, flushed away the victim's house.

In Porto Xavier, a fisherman was washed away by the waters of the Uruguay River, one of the largest in the area, on Sunday. Rescue teams are still searching for him.

In the nearby Sao Miguel das Missoes, a tornado destroyed some 70 houses, a hospital and a museum, injuring eight people.

The tornado also damaged the region's power network and caused minor damage to other towns.

Though Brazil is more known for natural disasters related to floods and summer storms, heavy winds are common in the country's southern region. Endi