A dike in the Santo Afonso neighborhood, in Novo Hamburgo, broke while firefighters were rescuing people. The population continues to be evacuated from the region, but as the dike had already partially collapsed, firefighters believe that the incident will not cause a large wave. “There was no increase in the volume of water. People can calm down and stay calm. Those who have a two-story house don’t need to despair that a tsunami won’t come”, Lieutenant Duarte – commander of the Estância Velha Fire Department, who helps with rescues in the region.
According to him, there are still many people to be evacuated, but many do not need to worry. “Many people who had stayed now want to leave with the news of the Dike breaking, but there is no need. We still have a lot of people to remove”, he concluded.
Earlier, when the Sinos River was at 9.66 meters at the height of the Dique, Mayor Fátima Daudt declared a state of public calamity. The municipality already has more than 3 thousand people housed in seven shelters spread across the city.
*With information from Guilherme Sperafico
