Brazil’s Bahia has 220 thousand people affected by heavy rains

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The heavy rains that hit Bahia have already left at least ten dead in the state. According to the latest report released by the state Civil Defense early this Monday afternoon (13), in the most affected regions, about 15,199 people are displaced, and 6,371 are homeless. The affected population reaches more than 220 thousand people.

Last week’s storms caused rivers to overflow, houses to be flooded, and roads and bridges destroyed some cities were cut off and incommunicado. The governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, declared a situation of emergency in at least 51 municipalities. The federal government has recognized a state of emergency in 24 Bahia municipalities so far.

According to the Fire Department, the most affected municipalities in the extreme south are: Eunápolis, Guaratinga, Itabela, Itanhém, Mucuri, Porto Seguro, Santa Cruz Cabrália, Teixeira de Freitas and Vereda, in addition to Jucuruçú, Medeiros Neto, Prado, Itamaraju, these last four also concentrate together the largest number of homeless people 3,956.

In the south of the state, the cities of Mascote, Itacaré, Itabuna, Ilhéus, Canavieiras, Camacan and Belmonte were affected.

Although the rain has diminished significantly and in many places, the waters are receding, the task force mobilized by the state government to help the population in the extreme south, with teams from the Bahia Military Fire Department, the Military Police Air Force, and the state Civil Defense, continues to work.

More than 1.5 thousand food baskets and clothes, water, and personal items have already been distributed by the military fire departments in the cities of Porto Seguro and Eunápolis. The donations were collected by the population and delivered with the help of the agents.

Recovery
Starting today, the Bahia state government will begin planning to recover the affected cities. “We will start the recovery and reconstruction of many houses that were lost. We will start this reconstruction in a more suitable place, higher up, out of the reach of the river waters. On Monday, we will hold a big meeting with the secretaries and mayors to decide on new actions,” said Governor Rui Costa.

Yesterday (12), President Jair Bolsonaro flew over the affected regions accompanied by the Ministers of Citizenship, João Roma; of Regional Development, Rogério Marinho; of the Institutional Security Cabinet, General Augusto Heleno; and of Health, Marcelo Queiroga.

In all, the Ministry of Regional Development announced the release of R$5.8 million for the municipalities of Eunápolis, Itamaraju, Jucuruçu, Ibicuí, Ruy Barbosa, Maragogipe, and Itaberaba.

The federal government has also authorized army troops to rescue and relocate people displaced by floods. A decree from the Ministry of Regional Development, with the release of R$ 1.2 million for employment in emergency actions in Eunápolis, is already published in today’s edition of the Diário Oficial da União.

According to the ministry, the other releases are expected to be published today in a different edition of the Diário Oficial of the Union.