A video is circulating on social media according to which the Rio Grande do Sul Finance Department is preventing the entry of trucks with donations for those left homeless by the storms that hit the state due to lack of invoices. IS FAKE.
The chief secretary of the Civil House of the government of Rio Grande do Sul, Artur Lemos, states that the information that donations are being withheld at tax collection stations is false. “No, they’re not,” he says. “Donations are free and there are no taxes charged,” he adds. See what he says:
Beyoncé’s criticism of Madonna
A video circulating on TikTok and message for Madonna and Brazil. IS FAKE.
A search for the origin of the image shows that the video is actually from May 30, 2020, well before the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul. At the time, Beyoncé paid tribute to George Floyd, killed by police officers in the United States. In the fake edition, the original audio with the singer’s voice is replaced by a “translation” that actually invents the allegations attributed to her. Detection tools indicate that the audio was generated by artificial intelligence.
Donations held in Lajeado
A video from September 2023 recirculated in May 2024 in which a woman said that donations to victims of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul were being withheld to await the arrival of President Lula in Lajeado — who would then take photos and videos with the women. donations when releasing them. IS FAKE.
Starlink is the only internet that works in RS
A publication on X claims that the only internet that is working in Rio Grande do Sul is Starlink. IS FAKE.
The publication is denied in the responses published by several users who interacted with the post. Furthermore, the national union of telephone companies and cellular and personal mobile services (Conexis) claims that the allegation is false. It states that the main fixed and mobile internet operators in Rio Grande do Sul have kept their networks active in most of the state and continue to work to recover the networks affected by the heavy rains. It also says that providers monitor the return of electricity, the weather situation and the release of blocked roads so that they can work safely to restore services. In the case of mobile internet, the associates operating in the state have enabled their networks so that, where there is only one of the networks available, customers of any cell phone operator can automatically access the available network free of charge. The measure applies to all customers with active service, with post- or pre-paid plans. To use the open network between operators, it is necessary to enable/activate the “roaming” and “automatic operator selection” option on cell phones.
The flood caused by the storm that hit Rio Grande do Sul became classified as the largest on the Guaíba River since 1941. IT’S FACT.
On Saturday morning (4), the Guaíba water level exceeded 5 meters at the port pier. The level is higher than that of the historic flood of 1941, when Guaíba reached the 4.76 meter mark. Fernando Dornelles, professor at the UFRGS Hydraulic Research Institute, stated that, curiously, both floods (the current one and the one in 1941) occurred in May. The expert says that the month is atypical, as the accumulation of water in Guaíba normally occurs in the transition between winter and spring.
Airport closed for several days
Posts on social media state that Porto Alegre Airport will be closed for several days after the storm. IT’S FACT.
On Friday night (3), Salgado Filho International Airport was closed due to the impact of the flood in the city. The Brazilian Association of Airlines (Abear) reported, this Monday morning (6), that the airport is closed indefinitely, with all operations suspended. Fraport, the airport’s administrator, released a “Notice to Airman” (Notam) in which it places May 30th as the end date for the suspension of operations.
