In a new wave of storms, the governor of Rio Grande do Sul asks for federal support

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promised this Tuesday (30) to send aid from the federal government to Rio Grande do Sul, which is experiencing a new wave of rain and flooding.

In a post on social media, Lula said he spoke to the governor by phone and ordered the Ministries of Regional Integration and Development, Defense and Social Communication to operate in the state. “[O] The federal government will join the efforts of the state government and city halls to get us through and overcome this difficult time, a reflection of climate change affecting the planet”, he wrote.

In a series of posts, also on social media, Governor Eduardo Leite appealed for the sending of help, mainly air support. “We now need to rescue hundreds of people in dozens of municipalities who are in an emergency situation due to the intense rains that have already occurred and which will continue in the coming days”, wrote Leite. “I just spoke on the phone with President Lula, who assured the support of the federal government. I am sure [de] that we can count on this union of efforts to rescue the affected population, which is our absolute priority at this moment”, he posted afterwards.

The storms that have hit Rio Grande do Sul since yesterday (29) have already caused damage in more than 70 municipalities. Authorities have already reported the deaths of five people and dozens are injured or missing. The state has been suffering from increasingly recurring cycles of adverse weather conditions.

In the second half of last year, floods caused by heavy rains caused the Taquari River to overflow, in one of the worst floods in decades and left a trail of destruction, material losses and around 50 deaths.