The municipality of Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, is experiencing the seventh day in Crisis Operational Stage due to accumulated rainfall since last Tuesday (15). For this week, the forecast is for moderate to heavy rain between the afternoon and evening. At least 178 people died in the tragedy.
The Civil Defense reported that it had already sounded the sirens in the following regions: Alto da Serra (Ferroviários), Itaipava (Gentio), Vale do Cuiabá, Vila Felipe (Chácara Flora), Independência (Rua O and Taquara), Quitandinha (R. Ceará, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Dukes and Amazonas), Dr. Thouzet, João Xavier, São Sebastião (Vital Brazil, Adão Brand).
The situation is also worrying because of the high number of occurrences, more than 1,200 since Tuesday to date, such as landslides and floods.
Civil Defense advises the population to pay attention to the new warnings, which can be issued at any time. The agency requests that the inhabitants of risk areas pay attention to the recommendations for mobilization and the need to move in situations of risk. In case of emergency, telephones 199 (Civil Defense) and 193 (Fire Department) must be activated.
The forecast of rain still worries residents who left behind people who did not want to leave the risk areas. Social activist Maria do Carmo Narciso has lost several neighbors and fears that a new tragedy will occur.
“My neighbors don’t want to go out, they’re convinced they won’t go out. I’m worried, but I can’t do anything. When it all started, on Tuesday, I put as many people as I could into my house, which was better, but the land was too much, we had to leave”, said Maria do Carmo.
To date, 847 people are still homeless. The Rui Barbosa State College, located in Alto da Serra, one of the most affected regions, houses around 125 people from 40 families. The location is also used to apply for social rent. About 1,117 families managed to complete the registration until this Monday (21).
“My whole family is here, there are 21 people. I got desperate because I have nowhere to go. Nobody is here because they want to. We are here because we need to. My house is hanging, there’s no way to go there. Luckily, I was on duty at the time of the storm,” said nanny Hanya Araújo.
The Santo Antônio Parish, also in Alto da Serra, is another important reception point. About 220 people are sheltered at the site. The space is in need of donations of bath towels, sheets, pillowcases, pillows, mattresses, socks, coffee, rice, wheat, salt, bags for assembling basic baskets and personal hygiene products.
Source: CNN Brasil
