Brazil rescue efforts continue as Lula visits areas hit by floods

President Lula says that the Sao Paulo area can ‘rely on the federal authorities’ after flooding killed a minimum of 36.

Lots of of emergency rescue staff proceed to seek for survivors amid the devastation of flooding and landslides which have killed a minimum of 36 folks and displaced a number of hundred in Brazil.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday visited impacted areas within the southeastern state of Sao Paulo, the place dozens of individuals stay lacking and the demise toll is predicted to rise. Town of ​​Sao Sebastiao seems to have been hit the toughest, accounting for 35 of the 36 victims.

“United we can be a lot stronger and Sao Sebastiao will get well a lot quicker,” Lula stated in a Twitter put up on Monday. “Rely on the federal authorities.”

Lula flew over Sao Sebastiao in a helicopter to survey the injury on Monday previous to a gathering with native officers, who stated that a minimum of 40 folks stay lacking and a few areas have been minimize off after landslides blocked the roads.

The president promised to assist rebuild the city of some 91,000 folks by setting up new homes in safer locations, whereas additionally saying the federal government should work to revive key infrastructure amenities comparable to roads additionally hit by landslides.

“Generally nature takes us abruptly, however typically we additionally tempt nature,” Lula stated in a speech after assembly with Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas and Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto to coordinate their response to the tragedy.

The flooding was triggered by a big downpour of rain over the weekend, and has prompted many cities within the area to cancel Carnival festivities.

In a social media put up on Sunday evening, Augusto described a “chaotic state of affairs” after 600mm (24 inches) of rain washed over the city in lower than 24 hours.

Augusto stated that fifty houses within the metropolis had collapsed from flooding and landslides, and pictures of the world present houses inundated with particles. Authorities stated that these rescued from the torrent of mud embrace a two-year-old boy and a lady giving delivery.

Looking for shelter on increased floor, some residents used boats to ferry items and other people to elevated areas.

Whereas Sao Sebastiao was on the centre of the catastrophe, surrounding cities comparable to Ilhabela and Caraguatatuba have additionally been impacted, and a seven-year-old woman was killed within the neighbouring city of Ubatuba, the Sao Paolo state authorities stated.

De Freitas declared an 18-day state of calamity for six cities in impacted areas, and a press launch from the state authorities stated that almost 800 folks had misplaced their houses.

In recent times, flooding and landslides have been a persistent and lethal phenomenon in Brazil. In February 2022, greater than 200 folks have been killed as the town of Petropolis close to Rio de Janeiro was inundated with flooding and landslides, and torrential rains resulted in flooding that killed 100 within the state or Pernambuco in Might 2022.