Non-stop rain since April has caused heavy flooding and slips in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, with 169 deaths reported so far.
Over 2 million people have been affected, with more than 55,000 people in emergency accommodation.
At the beginning of the month, Brazilian Amanda Gabrielle found herself forced to leave her home in the early hours of the day.
"We were woken up by sirens asking for everyone to evacuate their homes... we were scared, we had just woken up. They were telling us to leave because more water was to come.
"It's a nightmare that we haven't woken up from yet. When I entered my home, I broke down, very little was left to save."
Gabrielle lives in the Rio Grande do Sul's city of Novo Hamburgo, where 32,000 people were affected by the torrential rain.
A man returns to his flooded home to retrieve winter clothes in the Rio Branco neighborhood in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Photo: AFP / Anselmo Cunha
Speaking to RNZ, she said since her family had to leave their home, they have been relying on the help of others.
"We've lost everything... furniture, bed, clothing... but our community has been receiving a lot of donations.
"In the church that I go to, they received two trucks with donated supplies to distribute to those who really need it."
An aerial view shows a flooded area of Santa Rita neighborhood in the city of Guaiba, Rio Grande do Sul state. Photo: AFP / Anselmo Cunha
Rio Grande do Sul is Brazil's southernmost state, bordering Argentina and Uruguay.
Since the beginning of the floods in April, 468 cities were affected, more than 90 percent of the state.
The deluge blocked 72 sections of highways, leaving supermarket shelves empty and thousands of people without food and water.
Brazilian Nathalie Ramos lives in Tauranga, and together with a group of friends, she had been raising money to send to those on the front line.
"I'm originally from Rio de Janeiro, but I have many friends here [in New Zealand] from Rio Grande do Sul, and seeing their pain, seeing what happened to their families, it just made me want to do something to help as well.
"I started alone, selling sweepstakes to friends and neighbours. Not long after, a few other friends joined, and now there is a group of us trying to gather as much as we can."
A destroyed neighborhood after flooding in Arroio do Meio, Rio Grande do Sul State. Photo: AFP / Nelson Almeida
Ramos partnered with a local restaurant in Tauranga and organised a pizza night, where 50 percent of the revenue would be donated to those in need back in Brazil.
"The more people know about it, the more we can do to help. We saw what Cyclone Gabrielle brought to us; we know the pain of having all your life destroyed by water in seconds."
Ramos said the money would be used to buy winter clothing, food, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies for those who had to flee their homes.
"We are as lost as they are over there, you know, but we just can't cross our arms and wait.
"I can't just watch my friends crying because of how their family got affected, you know, who lost everything. We need to rise as a community."
'It is the people for the people'
The money raised by the Tauranga group would help people like Thaina Almeida.
After her tourism business was hit by the floods, she decided to be on the front line, gathering and distributing donations for displaced families around the city of Gramado.
"You see yourself in that situation and you can't keep your arms crossed. So a few of the small business owners from the region decided to raise some funds and help distribute it.
"It all started as an invitation for those who could afford to help."
An aerial view shows a flooded street of Industrial neighborhood in the city of Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. Photo: AFP / Anselmo Cunha
In the midst of the disaster, Almeida said it was heart-warming to see help arriving from all over the world.
"Because you know, in these situations it is the people for the people. If we, ourselves, don't help each other, the situation would be much worse.
"Watching the [Brazilian] community all over the place helping out, helping people they don't know, it just makes me emotional."
More than 300 cities in Rio Grande do Sul remained in a state of emergency due to the floods, and 56 people were still missing.
Authorities were also now reporting dozens of cases of the waterborne leptospirosis disease.
Four people died from the illness which is transmitted through contaminated water.
The Brazilian weather agency, Climatempo, said river levels were expected to keep rising in some areas of the state, as more rain was forecasted for the region this week.
