Cleaning teams are still working on the streets of downtown Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro this Saturday (26). Twelve days after the storm that left more than 200 dead, the city’s streets still have garbage, mud and stalled cars that need to be removed.
In Vila Felipe, the main road, which was once closed, now has access to vehicles. There, the work to remove rubble remains.
Firefighters and teams from Comdep, responsible for cleaning the city, also continue to work in Alto da Serra. Rescue teams follow at least two points on Morro da Oficina.
Also on Saturday morning, the governor, Cláudio Castro, and the mayor of Petrópolis, Rubens Bomtempo, attended the mass held by Cardinal Dom Orani Tempesta, at Santo Antônio Church, in Alto da Serra. The mass lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes and was attended by about 100 people.
A resident of Alto da Serra for over 40 years, Alexsandro Condé participated in the celebration. He lost his 18-year-old son, 34-year-old brother and a friend. The house where he lived is closed. he tells the CNN who had just arrived home in Morro da Oficina when the landslide began.
“When I got to the room there was another loud bang and I already felt a vibration in the house. This destruction that you’re seeing there was all in five seconds. I lost my son, my brother, a friend. But, thank God, we managed to find it,” he said in reference to the bodies of the victims.
According to the latest balance released by the city hall, 223 people died and 20 remain missing. The Social Assistance Secretariat monitors 889 people at the 14 support points.
The open reception points are EM Pope John Paul; E. Germano Valente, E. Rubens de Castro Bomtempo, CEI Chiquinha Rolla, EM Geraldo Ventura Dias, EM Duque de Caxias, E. Paróquia Bom Jesus, EM Alto Independência, EM Joaquim Deister, E. Comunidade Santo Antônio, EM Maria Campos, E. São João Batista, E. Paroquial N. Sra. da Glória and Rui Barbosa State College.
Regarding services, the city government informed that the water supply has already been normalized in most regions. The teams are still working to restore service and repair leaks in some locations such as: Chácara Flora, Vila Felipe and Floresta.
Since February 15, the Civil Defense Secretariat has registered 2,869 incidents in 43 locations. Of this total, 2,241 were landslides. The agency continues to work and inspect homes at possible risk. So far, 1230 inspection requests have been forwarded to the technicians.
Source: CNN Brasil
