The municipality of Ilhéus, in Bahia, is one of the most affected by flooding resulting from the four days of rains who have reached the state. In an interview with CNN this Sunday (26), the mayor of Ilhéus, Mario Alexandre (PSD) said that, at the moment, the priority is to save the lives of the affected population.
“In this first moment, the focus is on saving people’s lives, taking care of our people. Today, for example, the rain has reduced a little, we hope that we can completely reduce this rain to deal with the reconstruction of the city”, he said.
According to Alexandre, “life has not been easy here in Ilhéus, and in a large part of Bahia”. So far, they have already been informed 18 deaths in the state, with 16 thousand homeless people.
“No wonder we see the governor personally coming to coordinate the strategy to meet these needs. Here in Ilhéus we have 26 high places where the majority of the population lives, and we have tried to provide the best assistance, with the entire security team, military police, fire department, civil defense”, says Alexandre.
The mayor said that the affected population, or looking for information, can contact the authorities on numbers 193 or 190. It is also possible to obtain information in person, at an operations center in the city that operates 24 hours a day.
“People are so vulnerable, needing so much help, love and solidarity,” he said. Alexandre stated that he expects the rains to decrease in the last week of the year, allowing for a reduction in flooding in the region.
According to him, the hotels and inns in Ilhéus, which attract tourists annually, had already had 100% capacity since October 2021. For tourists, the recommendation is the same given to the rest of the population: “you must have the necessary care, and do not go to flooded places”.
Reference: CNN Brasil
