By Eduardo Simões and Gabriel Araujo
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The federal government may edit a provisional measure to ensure the release of funds for cities hit by heavy rains on the coast of São Paulo over the weekend, said on Wednesday the Minister of Integration and Regional Development, Waldez Góes .
The trail of destruction left 48 dead, according to the latest São Paulo state government bulletin published earlier this evening, a number that has not changed from the previous update in the early afternoon.
In addition, there are missing people, with official information released earlier pointing to at least 38.
In an interview with CNN Brasil, Góes announced the release of 7 million reais for the municipality of São Sebastião, the hardest hit by the storms and where 47 people died, and said that the ministry is studying requests for resources from other cities, with a decision expected for the next few days.
“If there is a need for more public resources, a provisional measure will be issued, since this authorization has already been given since Sunday,” said Góes.
The government of the State of São Paulo had also released 7 million reais for the affected cities. In addition, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) declared a state of public calamity for 180 days in the cities of Ubatuba, São Sebastião, Ilhabela, Caraguatatuba and Bertioga, in addition to three days of official mourning in the State and the temporary transfer of his office to São Paulo. Sebastian.
Teams from the Civil Defense, Fire Department and Military Police of São Paulo work to rescue victims alongside Armed Forces troops, in addition to also acting jointly in efforts to clear roads and highways affected by landslides and waterfalls. barrier.
The Navy informed that on Thursday the Multipurpose Aircraft Ship Atlântico will arrive in São Sebastião, which will be equipped with six helicopters, among other equipment, and will also have a field hospital equipped with a complete ICU, an availability of more than 200 hospital beds. . The vessel will also take 180 Marines to the region.
In an interview with GloboNews, the Minister of Ports and Airports, Márcio França, said that a crisis management center was set up in the Port of Santos, which will serve as a starting point for rescue actions and assistance to survivors.
França said that the federal government has already put 60 million reais in support of victims in the last three days.
According to the state government, the north coast of São Paulo recorded during Carnival the highest volume of rainfall in 24 hours in the history of Brazil, since measurements were started, more than 630 millimeters.
Throughout the state, the rains left more than 1,730 people homeless and 1,799 homeless, the government said.
COMPULSORY REMOVAL
According to information from the government of São Paulo, Sabesp, the state-owned company responsible for basic sanitation and water supply, restored 100% of water services in the region this Wednesday. In addition, EDP, an energy distributor that operates in the cities of São Sebastião and Caraguatuba, said earlier that 99% of the supply was normalized.
“Part of the power outages were requested by the Civil Defense to ensure the safety of the population in risk areas, since there are still places with difficult access for the teams, such as the Barra do Sahy and Juquehy neighborhoods. However, as soon as there is a safe environment and authorization from the Civil Defense, the EDP teams are ready to energize these areas”, said the distributor.
ISA Cteep reported to the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) the compromise of the structure of a tower of the São Sebastião–Bertioga transmission line, with the need to carry out emergency works, but which will not imply interruption of the supply of energy to consumers , according to consolidated information from the regulatory agency.
Civil defense teams are still working to remove people who remain in risk areas and the government of São Paulo obtained an injunction in court that allows the authorities to forcibly remove people who refuse to leave these regions, where new landslides may occur.
Tarcísio, however, said that judicial authorization will only be used as a last resort and that social assistance teams work to convince residents who refuse to leave these regions.
“Obliging is very complicated, so let’s come with social assistance trying to convince the person to leave. Yesterday, in Barra do Sahy, a lady asked me for help because her father didn’t want to leave the house, which is at great risk of falling. We’re out there trying to convince Dad to leave. Therefore, we are going to use all the arguments, show the risk, welcome, protect the heritage and, as a last resort, we are going to carry out compulsory removal”, said the governor to journalists.
The Mogi-Bertioga highway has a total ban due to a pipe rupture near the city of Biritiba Mirim, while about two dozen points are partially blocked on the Rio-Santos, Oswaldo Cruz and Mogi-Bertioga roads, according to the state government.
This Wednesday, the governor flew over the northern coast of the state together with the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, to assess the affected areas.
“We must work together to provide an effective response to the population and to recover the vegetation and infrastructure affected by these landslides,” said Tarcísio, according to a government statement.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva went to the region on Monday and promised support from the federal government and partnership with the state and municipal governments in the reconstruction of the affected areas and the construction of housing for people who lived in risk areas and lost their homes. .
(Additional reporting by Leticia Fucuchima and Andre Romani; Editing by Andrew Romani)
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