Torrential rains in Brazil’s Northeast affect more than 70,000 people

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – More than 5,600 people were evicted from their homes and some 50 municipalities are in an emergency situation due to heavy rains and floods in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais in Brazil’s northeast region.

The most affected regions are in the south of Bahia, where some 3,740 people were displaced and more than 70,000 are affected, according to the region’s Fire Brigade, after almost a week of torrential rains that left homes flooded, rivers overflowed, roads and bridges destroyed and some localities cut off.

Bahia’s Governor Rui Costa declared an emergency situation in at least 30 municipalities due to the storm, which especially affected the cities of Itamaraju, where 3 people died, Jucuruçu, Porto Seguro, Prado and Teixeira de Freitas.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his ministers of Regional Development, Rogério Marinho, and Citizenship, João Roma, flew over the affected regions of Bahia.

In the north of Minas Gerais, which borders southern Bahia, the heavy rains left more than 1,900 people displaced from their homes, according to a Civil Defense report, and the governor’s office declared 31 municipalities in a state of emergency.

The authorities, Civil Defense, and the Fire Brigade in both states are carrying out rescue operations for people trapped or displaced after the rains, which are expected to continue until Monday.

Bolsonaro’s government recognized the emergency in 31 municipalities in Minas Gerais and 17 in Bahia for the release of resources, created a task force with five ministries for the affected areas, and authorized the deployment of military personnel for rescue operations and relocation of displaced people.