Floods in RS: residents of Vale do Taquari see what’s left of their cities | National Newspaper

Floods in RS: residents of Vale do Taquari see what’s left of their cities

Residents of Vale do Taquari were the first to feel the consequences of the heavy rain and are now the first to return to what remains of the cities.

It’s difficult to move on with life when the path no longer seems to exist.

“For me, it’s over, because the other time was already difficult. I don’t think Roca Sales is even on the map. But it was beautiful, good to live in. It’s no longer there”, laments retired Silvério Huppes.

Retired Marilene Marcelo lives right on the banks of the Taquari River. She shows how the house looked furnished a month ago.

“The situation is really one of destruction, really, there’s nothing that can be used. Here, the house was all like this here. The house was all like that. This is what’s left, this is what’s left, after everything we bought, just That’s what’s left, unfortunately”, she says.

In Roca Sales, the level of the Taquari River reached 25 meters. After the water receded, this was the scene that remained: houses and streets completely destroyed. In some cases, not even walls were left standing.

“Where we are is my kitchen. There was the living room, and there was the children’s room. Here we had three family houses. My husband’s grandmother, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, two, three uncles. Everything is familiar on this land. … where was this land, because now there isn’t even any land left”, says a woman.

O National Newspaper was in the main square of the city of Santa Tereza in Serra. For the third time in eight months it was invaded by the waters of the Taquari River and is covered in mud.

“Unfortunately, our daycare center was flooded too, so it’s not in a position to go back to school and there’s the little one. Keep it up, we’re not going to give up that easily. The work is hard, but we’re going to keep going”, says businessman Daniel Busnello.

Love for his son gave strength to retired João Vespa.

“This morning, at 4am, my son told me: ‘Dad, I want to eat’. I didn’t have anything to give the kid to eat. I was sad, I cried”, he says.

Isolated by landslides in the rural area, he walked 8 hours to satisfy his 7-year-old son’s hunger. An effort to save the family and also the neighbors.

“It’s getting bogged down, dodging through rocks, wood, landslides that you don’t believe human beings cross. To get here and ask for help in person. We have no contact with you here. So, I want to ask on behalf of these 11 houses: food, food”, adds João.

Now, by helicopter, he returns home loaded with supplies and fulfills the most important promise he can make.

“My son: ‘Dad, you’re going to come back, you’re not going to die’. I say: ‘No, I’m going to come back’. And I’m going, if God wants it, right. And He wants it, right.”