“If you don’t need to come, don’t come”: with roads blocked, PRF of RS appeals to people from Santa Catarina

Several roads are still blocked due to damage and flooding (Photo: Semae and São Leopoldo City Hall)

The floods that affected Rio Grande do Sul last week caused several blockages on federal and state highways, causing a direct impact on traffic and travel between cities. In an interview with Good Morning Santa CatarinaDouglas Bonfim, head of communication at the Federal Highway Police of Rio Grande do Sul (PRF-RS), left a message for the people of Santa Catarina: “Don’t come”.

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He explains that access via BR-101 is open, but that the situation is criticaland therefore the recommendation is not to travel to the neighboring state, unless it is truly an emergency.

— I leave here an appeal to our brothers from Santa Catarina: if possible, don’t come. The situation here is dramatic, it is a very difficult situation for all the people of Rio Grande do Sul. And if you don’t need to come, for an emergency, something that is really serious, don’t come, because you will hinder us more than help us – he highlights.

For those who want to help Rio Grande do Sul, Douglas recommends looking for the state or municipal Civil Defense, which can receive the donations and deliver them to the areas in need. At the moment, personal hygiene items, bedding, new or good mattresses, food and water are the main needs.

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Douglas states that it is even possible to follow BR-101, but when arriving in Porto Alegre there is a blockage on BR-290, with a detour via RS-118. BR-116, which also connects Santa Catarina to Rio Grande do Sul, was extremely affected by the rains, and the route there is not recommended.

— We had water containment dikes that were broken, which ended up causing an overflow onto the highway, so we have several points where the highway is either destroyed or [tem] points of the highway that are taken over by water. Any route, any movement, ends up causing an absurd disruption of time — reinforces the head of PRF communications.

The recommendation is that, if it is extremely necessary to go or travel around the region, the driver uses traffic applications such as Waze, which is being updated according to official PRF blockade information. A map made available by the Military Brigade Road Command, with information from the Autonomous Department of Highways (Daer/RS) and the PRF, is also being updated hourly. Check out: