RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Brazil's soccer federation has canceled the next two rounds of its domestic league due to widespread flooding in the country's south.
Wednesday's move followed requests from 15 of the top flight's 20 clubs to suspend operations.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul remains underwater. Porto Alegre-based rivals Gremio and Internacional, as well as rural club Juventude, both play in the Brazilian First Division.
Authorities said at least 149 people were killed in the floods and another 108 were missing. More than 620,000 people have been evacuated.
If the situation in the south of Brazil allows, the league will resume with Round 9 on June 1st. The dates for Rounds 7 and 8 will be changed.
“We cannot forget that sport and society walk hand in hand and cannot part ways at such a difficult time for the Brazilian people,” the country's soccer body said in a statement. It added that the suspension of top league matches until May 27 does not apply to other competitions.
Brazil's Sports Minister Andre Fufka called for a similar measure on Friday, extending it to all national competitions for men, women and those under 20. The Brazilian Football Association had already agreed to suspend all football activities for 20 days in the southern state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina.
South American soccer organization CONMEBOL also canceled two matches between clubs in the region.
Internacional's Beira Rio is no longer flooded, but the Arena do Gremio remains submerged in the state capital Porto Alegre. Juventud's Alfredo Giacconi Stadium, located on the outskirts of the city of Caxias do Sul, was less affected.
Airports in Porto Alegre and Caxias do Sul are closed, water supplies remain in short supply and hotels are full.
All three clubs in Rio Grande do Sul canceled Round 5 of the Brazilian league the same weekend the flooding began. Internacional are 10th, Gremio 12th and Juventude 15th.
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