 "Neymar sends food relief, Diego Costa rescues hundreds amid floods in Brazil")
Widespread flooding in south of Brazil induced by heavy rainfall has killed at least 95 people and 131 are reported missing in the last seven days. Close to 200,000 people have also been relocated from their homes as per latest media reports. Damage from the rains affected more than 1 million people in the region, according to authorities.
Brazil’s football federation has suspended matches involving three top-tier clubs for 20 days. Gremio, Internacional and Juventude, which are based in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, will only return to football activities after the flooding subsides. Ten of their league and Cup matches will be rescheduled.
Later, South American football federation (CONMEBOL) said it had postponed one Gremio group stage match in the Copa Libertadores and another of Internacional’s in the Copa Sudamericana.
Only jet skis have entered the Beira-Rio and the Arena do Gremio stadiums in Porto Alegre since last week. Porto Alegre’s airport is also flooded, as are many of the city’s hotels and roads.
More heavy rains are expected until the end of the week, meteorologists say.
During this difficult period, Brazilian footballers Neymar and Diego Costa have come out in support.
Neymar, captain of the Brazilian football team, shared an image of an aircraft that carried food relief to Brazil as he wrote in the caption, “I don’t like and don’t like to post everything I do or help, because who does it .. do it from the heart, not from the commitment. So, this post is to encourage more people to help. I’d like to thank the pilots of my aircraft and everyone involved. I’m here from afar praying that everything goes back to normal… My father is taking care of me and giving all the help possible.”
Neymar is currently recovering from an ACL injury that he suffered last year just a month after making his debut for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Diego Costa, who played for Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, and now plies his trade for Gremio, utilised his jeep and a jet ski to assist individuals to safety.
Diego Costa, do Grêmio, parou no alagamento em Eldorado do Sul para perguntar o que as pessoas estavam precisando por conta das fortes chuvas.
— Planeta do Futebol 🌎 (@futebol_info) May 3, 2024
As pessoas afirmaram que precisavam resgatar as vítimas da enchente. O atacante levou 1 jet ski na sua caminhonete e conseguiu mais 4… pic.twitter.com/MD70hnes0b
Costa also got four friends to contribute jet skis to increase the rescue efforts. Social media videos captured the footballer navigating flooded roads, with reports indicating that the collective efforts led to the successful evacuation of approximately 100 people.
An eyewitness told the Daily Mail, “What Diego did today, I had never seen before. He only arrived [at Gremio] a few months ago, but he left his truck in the water and took his jetski and those of his friends.”
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