The number of deaths due to the storms that hit Rio Grande do Sul rose to 83. According to the bulletin released by the Civil Defense this Monday (6), there are 111 missing, 276 people injured and 4 deaths under investigation. There are 141.3 thousand people away from home, 19.3 thousand in shelters and 121.9 thousand in the homes of family or friends. In Roca Sales, in Vale do Taquari, five bodies were found hugging each other in a buried house.
According to the firefighters who responded to the incident, the victims were from the same family and were inside a residence that was buried after a landslide. Among them was a 13-year-old girl. As official estimates from the authorities point out, at least 20 people died in the flood in Vale do Taquari. Part of the bodies were sent to the Medical-Legal Department post in Lajeado.
Reporter William Fritzke managed to get to the scene and recorded the moment on his social networks. “We are in a location where no one has reached. Sunday, May 5th, we approached a residence that was completely buried, where five people from the same family died. There is no access to the site, we came by helicopter to bring supplies. Firefighters are currently removing the bodies. It’s an unimaginable situation”he vented.
“It’s difficult to access, but we’re trying. It’s a very sad scene, I got to see the bodies hugging each other, an entire family. The hill came down and ended up reaching here. That entire hill collapsed. What happened here is terrible, a tragedy.”he lamented.
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President Lula returned this Sunday (5) to Rio Grande do Sul. He met with governor Eduardo Leite to discuss actions to respond to the tragedy. “We are already in Rio Grande do Sul to monitor and reinforce the coordinated work with the state government and city halls at this very difficult time for the region”, he wrote. Three days ago, the president had already been to RS.
The state government declared a state of calamity, a situation that was recognized by the federal government. With this, the state is able to request federal resources for civil defense actions, such as humanitarian assistance, reconstruction of infrastructure and restoration of essential services.
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In total, 341 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul were affected by the floods – which represents more than half of the state. In these locations, the population is without access to basic healthcare, drinking water, electricity, telephone services, and the main highways are closed.
Furthermore, the operation of 110 hospitals was affected – 17 had to suspend patient care, and 75 were only partially functioning, according to the latest bulletin from the state government. There are more than one hundred land blockade points in the state, and Porto Alegre airport has its activities suspended. In total, 850,000 people are affected.
The forecast of rain from the middle of this week in areas already hit by storms puts the state on alert again. According to Climatempo Meteorologia, the advance of a new cold front will once again cause an increase in heavy rain conditions. The possibility of increasing cold could also make rescues difficult.
The level of Guaíba, in Porto Alegre, is almost 2.30 meters above the flood level. In a measurement carried out at 5:15 am this Monday (6), the level was 5.26 meters. The flood limit is 3 meters.
Causes
To g1, meteorologists explained that the storms occurring in Rio Grande do Sul are a reflection of at least three phenomena that occur in the region, aggravated by climate change. Over the next 24 hours, more rain is forecast. The tragedy in the state is associated with intense wind currents, a corridor of humidity coming from the Amazon, increasing the strength of the rain, and an atmospheric blockage, due to heat waves.
How to help
The state government reactivated the donation channel via Pix to help flood victims. There is a commitment to allocate all resources to humanitarian aid.
Donation account: SOS Rio Grande do Sul;
Pix Key is the CNPJ: 92.958.800/0001-38
In the name of “SOS Rio Grande do Sul”.
A fundraiser was also opened to raise funds. The action is promoted by Instituto Vakinha, Pretinho Básico and Badin Colono. Click here to donate.
Some specific items are necessary, such as mattresses, bed and bath linen (sanitized), and blankets (sanitized). Donations can be delivered to the State Civil Defense Logistics Center: Avenida Joaquim Porto Villanova, 101, Jardim Carvalho neighborhood, in Porto Alegre.
The State Department of Blood and Blood Products, from the Department of Health, also makes a call to reinforce stocks at the Porto Alegre blood center. According to the government, blood components are at risk of shortage, especially platelets and red blood cells.
