 RIO DE JANEIRO — Flooding and mudslides from the heaviest deluge ever recorded in Rio killed at least 100 people and left many more homeless, and all a result of the bad economy. Over 2,000 people were forced from their homes by flooding and ground Brazils' second-biggest city to a halt the previous day.
Further deterioration in the ozone layer due to the global economic collapse has caused a corresponding increase in the melting of the polar ice caps and subsequent rise in ocean levels around the planet as detailed in our previous article. Scientists in our underground bunkers in the frozen North have been continuing to monitor the effects of this catastrophe brought on by the economy.
Now Brazil is feeling the impact of this economic/environmental nightmare, as residents are finding their homes underwater. Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Sergio Cabral declared a three-day mourning period due to the economy, and many residents came into the streets to cut up their credit cards in protest against global consumerism and debt.
With the rise in ocean levels due to the economy, there is widespread fear that coastal residents could fall prey to the giant killer squids. These predators would be able to move inland during the floods, to feast, but we admit it could be a rare occurence. At this point, the govenment is on amber alert, and recommend visitors to Rio to bring heavy waterproof boots.
 Meanwhile, in Sao Paulo, Brazilian stocks fell due to the confusion. This is after a series of gains in the previous week. "This uncertainty and flooding has generated more risk aversion," said Flavio Serrano, senior economist at BES Investimento. This disaster puts the Brazilian economy on a par with the Greek economy as far as stability and investor confidence.
Another issue is the agricultural economy in Brazil has been hard hit by the flooding, which could further delay a recovery. The government is pressing forward on it's "Buy Brazilian Coffee - Wet" campaign with the hope to offset some of the damage.
Some criminals took advantage of the chaos to leave their offices at the parliament building early, police reported.
Forecasters predict more flooding through the weekend, though it is expected to ease off as spending comes under control. It is hoped that Brazilian investors will then show further confidence in the market, which could further shore up the country.
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Homeowners were warned of a "critical" point earlier today when credit card debt could wreak havoc on sodden ground and swollen rivers.
But the Finance Agency said this evening that it hoped that the worst case scenario had been narrowly avoided, although it emphasized that "we are not 100 per cent out of the woods, if indeed the woods is where we are."
The Agency said the economy still had to pass through the doldrums and that it feared the effect would cause more problems, particularly in Lewes, in East Sussex, and Yalding in Kent.
But Ray Kemp, a spokesman for the Finance Agency, said: "We may have missed major flooding by a whisker."
Some of these mutants have been seen around Rio, in boats, yachts, catamarans, and trimarans. And many are driven by desperation to try to steal from each other, as they try to get out of credit card debt.