Thursday, January 13, 2011

Tragic floods At least 237 dead in Brazil in the Rio

SAO PAULO - At least 237 dead is terrible the last budget of the flood that hit the area of Rio de Janeiro after days of torrential rains that caused flooding and landslides. The most affected area of Brazil is the mountainous region of Serrana, north of Rio. Only in the town of Teresopolis, 100 km north of state capital, at least 122 victims have so far.

According to the mayor, another 50 people are still missing. The city is described by witnesses as "a sea of mud." A thousand people are homeless and have taken refuge in shelters set up by the city. The local civil defense (the Defesa Civil) has called on residents of homes threatened to take refuge in safe buildings, schools and churches.

This morning, three firemen were buried by a landslide of land in Nova Friburgo (140 km from Rio), where the dead are at least seven. In the afternoon the Defesa Civil has reported another 18 people died in the town of Petropolis. But the death toll could rise just Petropolis. In many districts of the three cities most affected are lacking electricity, potable water and telephone connections.

In the region of Rio, in the last 24 hours have fallen 340 mm of rain. The rivers are overflowing, the streets were flooded and whole houses were taken away by the current. A Petropolis, the colonial city where the Emperor Don Pedro II spent his summer vacation, people on the street has had to climb trees to avoid being carried away by the fury of water and many historic buildings were damaged.

Numerous roads, railways and airports are unsafe. Many remote areas are unreachable by land. The Navy has mobilized its helicopters to assist the people in support of those firefighters. Serious situation even in the states of Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. In the latter, between the day before yesterday and yesterday there were 13 deaths.

Was not spared even the megalopolis of Sao Paulo, where several districts have been submerged by water and where the Tiete, Pinheiros and have overflowed, causing huge traffic jams. Three homeless people who sleep under a bridge for shelter from the rain were taken away by the current. In all, 47 municipalities have declared a state of emergency, and the Civil Defense has mobilized relief efforts from across the country.

Dilma Rousseff The new president, took office last January 1, continuously monitor the situation today spoke on the phone with the state governor, Sergio Cabral. The fear now is that after the floods burst epidemics due to contaminated water and for the proliferation, thanks to the abundance of water, the mosquito that transmits dengue.

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