Brazilians, battered by tropical cyclone, begin to rebuild their lives

For several hours, the floodwaters rose until they swept away Miguel Rutigliano Bieleski’s home, his wife and his two children. Bieleski said he only survived by clinging on to the branch of a tree.
Bieleski, 35, is one of many Brazilians in the south of the country struggling to rebuild their lives after being battered by a tropical cyclone this week. Around 7,700 people are estimated to have lost their homes, according to government officials.
At least 41 people died from the storm, with 46 still missing, according to authorities from Rio Grande do Sul state, which has declared a public emergency. Weather forecasters predict more rains before the deluge dissipates by Sunday.
Bieleski lives in the town of Lajeado, which was badly hit by floodwaters from the engorged Taquari river.
He blamed emergency services for the deaths of his wife and children, saying they had urged him to stay in his home to await help that never arrived.