Inclement weather has left more than 9,300 people missing and homeless. At least 14 cities have declared a state of emergency
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“We will not stop until we find all the disappeared. We are at a crucial point right now” (Clauber Cleber Caetano/REUTERS)
The authorities of the state of Pernambuco, in eastern Brazil, This Thursday, 127 people have died due to the torrential rains that hit the area six days ago and have left several missing, although Today there is only one citizen left to locate.
The inclement weather has left more than 9,300 people homeless, who have been distributed by more than 110 shelters up to 27 locations.At least 14 cities have declared a state of emergency, according to the Brazilian news portal G1.
“We will not stop until we find all the disappeared. We are at a crucial point right now”, Pernambuco Governor Paulo Camara stressed on Tuesday.
For its part, the National Civil Defense reported in its Twitter account Twitter that there is a “very high” warning of more flooding in Pernambuco, including its capital, Recife.
The rescue services resumed their activity on Tuesday after they had to suspend operations the day before due to the storm that re-registered in the area.
The main affected areas are < b>Vila dos Milagres, in the west of Recife; Cured IV, in Jaboatao; Areeiro, in Camaragibe, and Jardim Monte Verde, on the border between Recife and Jaboatao.
The National Civil Defense reported on its Twitter account that there is a “very high” alert for more flooding in Pernambuco, including its capital, Recife (REUTERS/Diego Nigro)
Camara explained on Monday that, under the state of emergency, The authorities will allocate some 100 million reais (19.6 million euros) to pay for the rescue and recovery work, as well as for the construction of infrastructure damaged by the rains.
“We know that the first hours are very difficult. I have spoken with all the mayors so that they can draw up a work plan to know what support actions from the state they are going to need,” explained Camara.
The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro flew over the affected area on Monday and took the opportunity to criticize Camara for not having consulted him on the response to these heavy rains.
The drama of the residents
“I don’t eat or sleep, because it was a very strong pain”, tells the agency AFP a resident of Jardim Monteverde, one of the areas hardest hit by the rains.
Lucia da Silva was evacuated in time on Saturday to avoid being buried by a landslide in this community of Recife,but their neighbors were not so lucky: 11 people from the same family died and another is missing.
Inclement weather has left more than 9,300 people homeless (REUTERS/Diego Nigro)
“It was very sad, it was like losing my family. I’ve lived here for 40 years, they were people I’d seen since I was little,” says this 56-year-old housewife.
“They found 11, they’re going to be buried , and a 32-year-old girl is missing, they haven’t found her body yet,” she adds between sobs.
In Jardim Monteverde, a poor neighborhood on a hillside between Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco , and the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes, dozens of firefighters continue the search for the twenty people who disappeared on Monday.
At the top of the hill there are still Some houses stand, but a few meters further on you can see the recently opened abyss, almost vertical, with a thick layer of mud that has swept away everything in its path.
At your feet, a pile of rubble, pieces of bricks, clothes, toys and other personal belongings of the victims of the collapse.
(With information from EP and AFP)< /p>