Turning in the direction of the winds causes the level of Lagoa dos Patos to rise again in the southern region of RS | National Newspaper

Turning in the direction of the winds causes the level of Lagoa dos Patos to rise again in the southern region of RS

In the south of the state, authorities extended flood warnings.

The day started with sunshine and the level of Lagoa dos Patos receding. Areas that were flooded saw the water recede. It didn’t take long for this scenario to change in cities in the southern region of the state.

In big River, hospitals began removing patients. More serious cases were taken to other cities. A 5-year-old girl, who needs brain surgery, was transported by Army soldiers by helicopter. And more residents left their homes.

“Very, very (scared). During the day, we are calm, but now there is no electricity and there will probably be a lack of water too. So, we are forced to leave here”, says Tande Martins, resident of Rio Grande.

After a morning that gave residents hope, in the middle of the afternoon, Lagoa dos Patos once again reached the same level recorded on Wednesday (9). And, according to experts, the trend is for it to continue rising in the coming hours. The winds started to blow in the opposite direction, pushing the sea waters into Lagoa dos Patos.

“People cannot be fooled by the sun, because the changing wind can change the entire configuration. We don’t want to create panic, but just to say: it’s not time to return home for those who have left and for those who haven’t left yet, try to do what we asked, evacuate the areas most at risk”, asks Paula Mascarenhas, mayor of Pelotas.

A fishing colony, in Pelotas, was taken by water. Residents of lower areas sought shelter in higher regions. Matheus’ house is housing four other families.

“We sheltered family, friends, everyone. We help everyone we can,” she says.

The house’s patio is still used to organize lunch boxes, distributed by a group of volunteers.

“We are doing what we can. There’s food, there’s everything. Hygiene, cleaning supplies, everything, nothing is missing”, says Natália Amaral, resident of Pelotas.

The cities in the extreme south of Rio Grande do Sul are preparing to experience a tense morning because the region’s meteorological service predicts that from 11pm this Thursday (9) there will be a time when the waters of Lagoa dos Patos will rise the most.

In Pelotas, authorities prepared earthen containers, which are placed inside bags. The idea is that these containments help prevent water overflow. The water in Lagoa dos Patos has been rising since 5pm this Thursday. The last update gave 2.58 meters.

Authorities work to remove families from risk areas. Many people refuse to leave their homes, but it is important to pay attention to this because the early morning promises to be full of attention.