Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew over the area Monday in Sao Paulo state (southeast) where floods and landslides have killed at least 40 people, according to the latest report from authorities.
“It is important to work together (…) we must pray for the victims, but not rain so that we can start rebuilding”, the head of state announced at a press conference shortly after his helicopter flew over the disaster. Area after heavy rain on Sunday.
The National Meteorological Department has warned that the region will experience heavy rains for the next few days.
About fifty houses were swept away by the landslide in the coastal town of Sao Sebastiano, located 200 km from Brazil’s economic capital, Sao Paulo. The city of about 90,000 people has recorded 39 of the 40 confirmed deaths, and the number could soon rise, according to the latest official report, Monday afternoon.
“About 40 people are still unaccounted for,” Sao Paulo fire department chief Michele Cesar told CNN Brazil. Another death, that of a girl, was recorded further north in the coastal town of Upadupa.
‘Highly Critical’
“I don’t know what to do, I’ve lost everything. Fortunately, I was able to leave the house in time with the children, but everything was covered in mud and we couldn’t save anything,” Patricia da Silva, a housekeeper who was supposed to be run by AFP, told AFP friends. 15 and Two daughters aged 9. “We don’t know where to go anymore, the house is completely destroyed,” laments the 31-year-old.
About 1,730 people were evacuated and 766 were left homeless, according to officials, who sent 500 rescue workers, soldiers and police to participate in the search and help victims.
A state of emergency has been declared in five coastal towns where landslides have submerged major road networks, making access to the area difficult.
In 24 hours, São Sebastião recorded 600mm of rain, more than double the monthly average for this bustling coastal town over this festival weekend.
Felipe Augusto, the city’s mayor, described the situation as “extremely critical”, saying the “exceptional” rainfall levels had “broken records”. “The entire reconstruction process will be very long due to the damage to the roads. Neighborhoods are still isolated. The priority at this time is to search for the living. Everyone is mobilized to find survivors from the rubble,” the city councilor said during a press conference with Lula.
Urban Planning and Climate Change
The left-wing president supported the union alongside one of his political opponents, the governor of São Paulo Darcisio de Freidas. The latter is a former minister of far-right ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula, 77, beat in the October election. “It is important to stop construction of houses in places where people are at risk of losing their lives due to heavy rains,” the head of state said.
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Brazil’s National Natural Disaster Monitoring and Warning Center (Cemaden) estimates 9.5 million people live in areas vulnerable to landslides or floods, many of them in favelas – slums – without basic sanitation.
Also Read Article of December 2, 2022: Thousands of people have been displaced by deadly rains in several parts of Brazil
Brazil, affected by climate change, has been plagued by natural disasters, such as February 2022 when more than 230 people died following heavy rains in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro state.
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