05/05/2024 – 13:58
After heavy rains since the beginning of the week, there are approximately one million customers without water in Rio Grande do Sul, according to a report by the state government, which is facing its worst climate disaster, with 75 confirmed deaths. According to Mayor Sebastião Melo (MDB), 70% of Porto Alegre is without water. He did not detail whether this portion refers to the number of households or neighborhoods.
Four of the six water treatment plants of the Municipal Water and Sewage Department (DMAE) of Porto Alegre had their operations suspended due to the advance of flooding this Saturday, the 4th. Authorities ask the population to save water.
The level of the Guaíba River broke a record, at more than 5.3 meters (the flood level is 3 meters). The city also had several points of power outages, in addition to the flooding of the bus station and the suspension of operations at Salgado Filho Airport.
The head of the municipal Executive also appealed to the federal government to help with resources and equipment for rescue. “There are no boats, there are no boats; they have vests on,” he said. “You can’t wait two days. It has to be today, now.”
Volunteers and rescue teams have organized themselves to carry out rescues, with jeeps, boats and jet skis, and respond to requests that have been shared on social media.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) returned to Rio Grande do Sul this Sunday, for the 2nd time this month, accompanied by nine ministers, including Fernando Haddad (Finance). The presidents of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), are also part of the delegation.
Due to the Guaíba floods, the Mãe de Deus Hospital, in the Menino Deus neighborhood, south of Porto Alegre, had to be evacuated with the transfer of patients to other health entities in the capital. The transfer took place throughout Saturday, under constant rain. Critically ill patients and newborns were the priorities. “I had to evacuate 280 patients because they were all taken over by water,” said Melo.
Army soldiers helped remove the patients and placed them in ambulances, already ready in front of the hospital. Due to the accumulation of a lot of water on Rua José de Alencar, the emergency sector was closed to access.
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