According to officials in Sao Paulo, Brazil, severe flooding and landslides have caused the death of at least 36 individuals, resulting in the cancellation of traditional Carnival festivities in certain cities.
On Sunday, there were areas where the amount of rain that fell was over 600mm (equivalent to 23.6 inches), which is twice the expected amount for the entire month. The mayor of Sao Sebastiao, Felipe Augusto, has confirmed this information. He also noted that “Search and rescue teams are not managing to get to several places; it is a chaotic situation”. “We have not yet gauged the scale of the damage. We are trying to rescue the victims.”
Mr. Augusto stated that approximately 50 houses had collapsed and been swept away, with dozens of people still unaccounted for in the town. He added that the situation in the affected areas, including Sao Sebastiao and Ubatuba (located around 80km or 50 miles to the north-east), remains extremely critical. The state government confirmed at least 35 fatalities in Sao Sebastiao. Hundreds of individuals have been forced to evacuate and leave their homes due to the flooding and landslides.
According to officials, 228 people are now homeless, and another 338 have been evacuated from coastal areas north of Sao Paulo. A state of calamity lasting 180 days has been declared in six towns within the state: Sao Sebastiao, Caraguatatuba, Ilhabela, Ubatuba, Guaruja, and Bertioga. The state governor has released $1.5 million (£1.2 million) in funding to support disaster relief efforts. The cancellation of Carnival events across the northern coastline has been announced, which is a popular destination for affluent tourists seeking to avoid the grand street celebrations of big cities. Typically, the festival lasts for five days leading up to Lent and is well-known for its vibrant celebrations. Local media have reported that Latin America’s largest port, Santos, was closed due to strong winds and waves.
On Monday, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was in Bahia over the Carnival weekend, stated his intention to visit the affected areas. He expressed his condolences to those who lost their loved ones and vowed to collaborate with government authorities to provide healthcare, locate missing people, and restore transportation and communication infrastructure.
Mr da Silva tweeted “We are going to bring together all levels of government and, with the solidarity of society, treat the wounded, look for the missing, restore highways, power connections and telecommunications in the region,”My condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this tragedy.”
He added that the entire federal government was “available and working to help with whatever is necessary and to join efforts with the government of São Paulo and city halls in helping the victims”.
Officials are warning that further heavy rainfall is anticipated in the region, posing a risk of exacerbating conditions for emergency teams. Climate change, which is already taking hold, is expected to cause more extreme weather events, such as the recent floods, to occur more frequently. In the previous year, Petropolis, located in the southeastern part of Brazil, saw over 230 people lose their lives due to torrential rains.
