“War scenario”: Southern Brazil races against the clock to contain the climate tragedy

the south of Brazil “It’s a war scene”, with entire cities submerged and thousands of people isolated, in the region’s biggest climate catastrophe, which has so far left 75 dead and 88,000 homeless, authorities said this Sunday.

From the flooded streets or from the air, the images are devastating: houses whose roofs are barely visible, people who have lost everything and the center of modernity Porto Alegrethe capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sulcompletely flooded.

LOOK HERE: Devastating floods in Brazil leave at least 76 dead and 103 missing

More than 3,000 soldiers, firefighters and brigade members work to rescue isolated people, in many cases without basic supplies such as water or electricity.

People pass by boat through the flooded area of ​​the Public Market, on May 5, 2024, after the flooding of Lake Guaíba, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Photo by Isaac Fontana/EFE)

Also in the search for missing people, who currently number 103, according to the Civil defense.

Sunday”It will be a key day for rescues“, highlighted the Minister of Communication, Paulo Pimenta.

“It is a war scenario and will also have to be treated post-war.“, said the state governor, Eduardo Leitetogether with the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvain addition to several ministers.

The president traveled to the southern state on Sunday for the second time this week to coordinate actions to mitigate a tragedy that continues to grow.

The federal governmentwill expedite the delivery of all necessary resources”for reconstruction, promised Lula, a day after Leite asked for a“marshal plan”for the state, with 11 million inhabitants.

Donations and field hospitals

Requests for donations are multiplying in the 334 affected cities, as are solidarity actions.

Eduardo Bittencourt36-year-old trader, explained in Porto Alegre how he organized with a group of volunteers to rescue people trapped in their homes with ‘type’ vehicles.collections‘.

“Things are very complicated, we are helping whoever we can help, but it is the law of nature,” he told AFP.

Army troops are working to create field hospitals because hundreds of patients had to be evacuated from medical care centers.

From schools to prisons, all types of infrastructure were affected.

Aerial photograph taken with a drone showing a flooded area with vehicles, on May 5, 2024, after the flooding of Lake Guaíba, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Photo by Isaac Fontana/EFE)

The water supply is interrupted in 70% of Porto Alegre – with almost 1.4 million inhabitants – and its metropolitan region, which has entire cities submerged, such as Canoes, Guaíba It is The golden.

In the streets of Guaíba, today transformed into rivers, hundreds of boats, inflatable boats and jet skis come and go non-stop rescuing trapped, wet residents without electricity.

MORE INFORMATION: Lula expresses support for Pedro Sánchez: “His role is important for Europe and the world”

And the waters advance uncontrollably towards the metropolis.

According to the city hall, the level of Guaíba River located in the city measured 5.30 meters, above the record of 4.76 meters recorded during the historic floods of 1941.

I already swim kayak

Rosana CustódioA 37-year-old nurse, she managed to leave her home in Porto Alegre on Thursday and arrive with her family at her mother-in-law’s house.

“My husband put my two daughters in a kayak and paddled with a tacuara (pole). My son and I swam to the end of the street and started walking in water up to our necks.,” he told AFP in a WhatsApp message.

But on Friday history repeated itself. “We were rescued by a boat of friends”. Since then he has been with his family in a shelter. “We lost everything we had”.

Like her, almost 17 thousand people were housed in shelters.

The exceptional situation leaves Porto Alegre practically under siege.

O Highway Patrol (from Highways) told AFP that arrival from the south is blocked at around 15 km, while from the north it is still possible to access the city.

Porto Alegre international airport, whose runway is underwater, is closed indefinitely.

Aerial photograph taken with a drone showing a flooded area, on May 5, 2024, after the flooding of Lake Guaíba, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Photo by Isaac Fontana/EFE)

Message from the Pope

From the Vatican, the Pope Francis sent a message of encouragement to the population of Rio Grande do Sul.

“The Lord has the deceased in his heart, he comforts family members and those who had to leave their homes.“he said in front of the Saint Peter’s Square.

SEE TOO: Brazil: at least 10 dead in fire at pension in the city of Porto Alegre

And the “disastrous cocktail” of climate change it’s him El Niño phenomenon which favored the devastating rains that hit the south of Brazil and other extreme events, the Brazilian climatologist told AFP Francisco Eliseu Aquino.

Porto Alegre, a city founded by Portuguese immigrants in 1772 and located in the middle of a huge river basin, developed under the influence of its port, fundamental to Brazil’s growth, according to its website. Andean Development Corporation (CAF). Today that blessing turned into misfortune.

The province of Rio Grande do Sul warned of the danger of more landslides or road collapses, which have already left numerous routes cut across the state and also in the neighboring state. Santa Catarina.

Source: Elcomercio