Amid carnivals, deadly flood lashes Brazil's Sao Paulo
Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides in Brazil’s northern Sao Paulo, killing at least 36 people. Dozens of people are still missing and over 50 houses have collapsed. Several cities have cancelled carnivals as the calamity unfolds
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Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides that have killed 36 people, including a seven-year-old in Brazil’s north Sao Paulo state, officials said, and the fatalities could rise. Felipe Augusto, the mayor of Sao Sebastiao, said there are dozens of people missing and that 50 houses collapsed in the city due to the landslides. AP
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Sao Paulo state government said in a statement that precipitation in the region has surpassed 600 millimetres (23.6 inches) in one day, one of the highest amounts ever in Brazil in such a short period. Bertioga alone had 687 millimetres during that period, the state government said. AFP
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TV footage showed houses flooded with only the roof visible. Residents are using small boats to carry items and people to higher positions. A road that connects Rio de Janeiro to the port city of Santos was blocked by landslides and floodwaters. AFP
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Augusto posted on social media videos of widespread destruction in his city, including one of a baby being rescued by locals lined up on a flooded street. “Our rescue teams are not managing to get to several locations; it is a chaotic situation,” he said. Operations at the largest port in South America, Santos, were suspended on Saturday due to wind gusts that exceeded 55 kilometres per hour (34 mph) and waves that were over one metre high. AFP
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Six cities in the state of So Paulo were placed under a 180-day state of emergency following an extraordinary weather occurrence that experts said was unprecedented. Cities like Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga, some of the hardest hit and now under a state of calamity, also cancelled their Carnival festivities as rescue teams struggle to find missing, injured and feared dead in the rubble. Reuters
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Notably, the northern coast of Sao Paulo state is a frequent Carnival destination for wealthy tourists who prefer to stay away from massive street parties in big cities. Reuters
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Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said in a statement he requested support from the army, which sent two aeroplanes and rescue teams to the region. Additionally, the federal government has also mobilised several ministries to assist victims, restore infrastructure and start reconstruction work. As per the local media, there were more than 100 firefighters working in the area with the assistance of aircraft. AFP
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Rescue teams are still searching for victims, reuniting remote villages, and clearing some blocked roads that have trapped an unknown number of tourists who come to Brazil for the Carnival celebrations. AFP
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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Twitter he will visit the region Monday. He added that government at all levels would work to “take care of the injured, look for missing people and restore roads, energy and telecommunications.” Reuters
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