RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Friday (15), the federal government recognized the emergency situation in 16 more cities affected by natural disasters. According to the National Civil Defense, out of the total of ten municipalities, ten were affected by the heavy rains.
The cities affected by excessive rains were Colônia Leopoldina, Maragogi and Rio Largo in Alagoas; Brejão, Maraial, Saloá and São Benedito do Sul in Pernambuco; and Pedro Velho, São Pedro and Tibau do Sul in Rio Grande do Norte.
São Paulo de Olivença and Tonantins in Amazonas and Porto de Moz in Pará recorded floods, while Alfredo Wagner in Santa Catarina was hit by torrents. Finally, in Caraíbas in Bahia and Santa Cruz in Rio Grande do Norte, a state of emergency was declared because of the drought.
By declaring a state of emergency, municipalities can receive funds from the Ministry of Regional Development to provide for the population, restore essential services and rebuild damaged structures.
Municipalities apply for the declaration of a state of emergency through an integrated disaster information system. The data is analyzed by the National Civil Defense team. If approved, the funds are released to the municipality after publication in the Official Gazette.