He Brazilian government promised about US$10 billion for rebuild Rio Grande do Sul, where the delivery of humanitarian aid was intensified this Thursday to help the population without housing, electricity or water after the historic floods. At least 107 people died, 374 were injured and 136 are missing more than a week after rivers overflowed due to torrential rains in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (southern), according to Civil Defense.
Almost a million and a half people were affectedmore of 164,000 were evacuated and more than 60,000 homes were damaged due to the natural catastrophe, which experts and the Brazilian government link to climate change. The floods also devastated the economy of that agricultural state, and Governor Eduardo Leite spoke over the weekend of the need for “a Marshall plan” for reconstruction.
The Government of Brazil promises US$10 billion to rebuild the region
Given the magnitude of the disasters, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met on Thursday his ministers in Brasilia to discuss public policies and announce some US$10,000 million for reconstruction work. The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddadpromised an “injection of resources on the order of 50,000 million reais”. The package of measures mainly contemplates the delivery of credits to help workers, companies and municipalities affected.
“We are going to have to prepare because we will see the size of the problems when the water goes down and the rivers return to normal,” Lula said. “A lot of people lost a lot and we have to take that into account,” he added. Earlier, Leite had estimated the amount of the recovery at 19,000 million reais ($3.7 billion), according to what he said in X.
Floods in Rio Grande do Sul
In Rio Grande do Sul, rescue teams were still searching for people trapped in their homes or reluctant to leave them for fear of looting. They even mobilized to save a horse that had been isolated on a roof in Canoas, in images that went around the country. A group of rescuers managed to put the animal called “Caramel” because of its color in an inflatable boat, according to images broadcast live on television.
“Thank God Caramelo the horse is safe!” First Lady Janja said in a video on social media.
While, distribution of water and food is intensified to those who lost everything. “The focus is still on rescues (…) but we are working very intensely on the delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Sabrina Ribas, Civil Defense spokesperson.
The Authorities fear that the logistics of distributing aid will be hampered “to some extent” in the coming days, he added, given the alerts of “downpours” that are expected from Friday to Sunday in the Porto Alegre region.
Refugees from floods in Brazil
In a sports complex in the center of Porto Alegre, a shelter houses 450 people displaced by floods, plus 40 dogs and a little pig. “Solidarity is impressive,” Resplande de Sa, 57, director of the “Mané Garrincha” school located on the campus and now a donation reception center, tells AFP excitedly.
While, Volunteers sort comforters, warm clothes, baby diapers and other belongings. “I didn’t lose anything but I didn’t feel good staying at home. Helping is a human thing,” reflects Tauane Bassoler, 26, while folding clothes. Upon arriving at the gymnasium that serves as a refuge, the image reflects the dimension of the drama: hundreds of people on mattresses on the floor receive shelter. Dozens of children play with a joy that contrasts with the tragedy that mourns Rio Grande do Sul.
Here the objective is very clear: “Receive them with love and dignity,” summarizes Vinicius Kaster, undersecretary of Sports of the city and director of the shelter, to AFP. The catastrophe also reached the state prisonswho requested federal assistance after running out of water supply, reported the NGO Criminal Justice Network.
Solidarity from abroad for people affected by the floods in Brazil
The gestures of solidarity are repeated from abroad. Pope Francis sent 100,000 eurosaccording to the Vatican News site.
He tycoon Elon Muskannounced in X that his company Starlink will donate a thousand internet terminals for emergency teams in Rio Grande do Sul. “I hope the best for the people of Brazil,” said the billionaire, recently embroiled in judicial and political tirades in that country.
And andUruguayan footballer Luis Suárezhonored with the title of citizen of Porto Alegre for his successful time in the Guild last year, sent a “big hug” to the residents of the state and He said he was trying to “help from a distance”” in the midst of the tragedy, according to a video on Instagram.
Source: Ambito
