Government of RS carries out inspection and finds first damage to Museums after floods

The state government of Rio Grande do Sul found first damage The public art and heritage conservation institutions of Porto Alegre after flood waters receded and a new inspection was carried out on Sunday (19).

Teams from the Secretariat of Culture inspected the Mario Quintana House of Culture (CCMQ) and the Paulo Amorim Cinematheque O Rio Grande do Sul Art Museum (Margs) and the Rio Grande do Sul Memorial.

The reduction in water levels allowed, for the first time since the start of the flood in Rio Grande do Sul, access to buildings on foot. Previously, it was possible to reach the locations only by boat.

Last week, the CNN had already published that the state of Rio Grande do Sul and the city of Porto Alegre were having difficulty reaching the locations and assessing the damage after the floods.

“The visit sought to assess the conditions of cultural facilities, making it possible to improve planning for carrying out the actions necessary for their recovery,” said the director of the Department of Memory and Heritage of the Secretariat of Culture (Sedac), Eduardo Hahn.

Given the difficulties still encountered regarding the situation of art institutions and heritage conservation, the authorities have adopted the following actions:

• Mapping and surveys of federal, state and municipal listed assets, as well as inventoried assets, museums and cultural equipment;
• Analysis and evaluations of cultural inventories in cities experiencing public calamities;
• Distribution of a booklet providing guidance on collection recovery to the network of registered museums, with 378 institutions;
• Three museums began restoring collections with remote guidance from experts;
• Guidance for mayors and municipal secretaries of Culture so that nothing is discarded; It is
• Rescue protocol launched with a focus on the safety of volunteers and the collection.

Main damages already detected

Mario Quintana House of Culture (CCMQ)

At CCMQ, the team confirmed that the main damage suffered by the Cinemateca Paulo Amorim theaters occurred to armchairs and carpets, as well as air conditioning units, which were immersed in at least half a meter of water.

The projection and sound systems were not damaged as they were located in projection booths on the second floor of the building.

In all cinemas, Paulo Amorim, Eduardo Hirtz and Norberto Lubisco, the inspection teams confirmed a lot of mud, humidity and water.

Despite this, the secretariat still says that it is not possible, at this time, to assess the losses of furniture and other needs for the recovery of the space, nor to specify how much the damage will cost the public coffers.

Rio Grande do Sul Art Museum (Margs)

At Margs, where the collection was moved to higher floors during a task force set up following flood warnings, the inspection aimed to check access conditions on the ground floor.

Despite the drop in the water level, the teams found that the rate of reduction has slowed, keeping the ground floor flooded at a height that still does not allow safe movement.