Brazil announces aid to families as Lula visits flooded south

AFP
Wed, 15 May 2024 

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the stricken Rio Grande do Sul region for a third time since the flooding began almost two weeks ago (Ricardo STUCKERT)

Nearly a quarter-of-a-million families impacted by devastating floods in Brazil's south will receive about $1,000 each towards replacing what they lost, the government said Wednesday.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the stricken Rio Grande do Sul region for a third time since the flooding began almost two weeks ago, killing 149 people and displacing more than half-a-million.

More than 100 people are still missing in the ruins of hundreds of inundated cities and towns, where tens of thousands of inhabitants have been forced to seek refuge at makeshift shelters.


The full extent of the damage has yet to be determined, but the government has already pledged $10 billion for the region, and the BRICS group of countries another billion.

"We will spare no effort to help people rebuild their lives," Lula said Wednesday in the hard-hit city of Sao Leopoldo, north of the flooded state capital Porto Alegre.

The government said it would give 5,100 reais (nearly $1,000) to each of about 240,000 affected families.

It also announced plans to purchase new homes from the private sector to give to victims currently scattered between shelters and relatives.

There are some 14,000 housing units under construction in the region, said the government, and 600 recently completed units.

Properties seized after court rulings for non-payment will also be acquired for flood victims.

The Brazilian Football Confederation said Wednesday it was suspending matches in the Brasileiro championship due to the catastrophe.

Floodwater had filled the stadiums and training facilities of Porto Alegre's two main football clubs, Internacional and Gremio.

Intermittent rains continued to fall in the region Wednesday, and at least seven rivers remained above flood levels.

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Flood-stricken Brazil continues to battle rising river levels, 149 confirmed dead

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Tue, 14 May 2024 at 5:34 pm GMT-6·2-min read

Persistent rains and destructive flooding continue to wreak havoc in Brazil, with officials saying rising river levels signal further damage in the Rio Grande do Sul region.

As of Tuesday, 149 people were confirmed dead in the flood-stricken southern state, with 124 individuals still unaccounted for, according to civil defense officials.

More than 600,000 people have been displaced from their homes, with approximately 155,000 of those homes being destroyed, officials said.

PHOTO: Destroyed houses, damaged cars, branches, and debris are seen in Cruzeiro do Sul following the devastating floods that hit the region in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, May 14, 2024. (Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images)

In total, local agencies say 2.1 million people have been directly affected by the ongoing climate crisis in Rio Grande do Sul.

The Guaíba River in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Rio Grande do Sul, could reach unprecedented levels of over 18 feet in the next few days, according to local officials.

MORE: The worst isn't over as flooding is set to continue through the weekend in Brazil

On Monday, Brazil's Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad said the federal government is preparing direct financial assistance for families affected by the floods.

PHOTO: Men carry and move packages along a flooded street in the historical city center of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, May 14, 2024. (Anselmo Cunha/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced National Civil Defense resources for humanitarian aid and reconstruction of damaged structures would be available to the region starting Tuesday.

"Starting today, mayors and the state government can register requests for schools, daycare centers, health units, hospitals, and equipment recovery. Just register and it will start happening immediately to serve the people," President Silva said during a live broadcast.

On Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement on the ongoing crisis, saying, "The United States stands with Brazil at this difficult time."

PHOTO: View of a flooded street in the Cidade Baixa neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, May 14, 2024. (Anselmo Cunha/AFP via Getty Images)

"My administration is in contact with our Brazilian partners, and the United States is working to provide necessary assistance to the Brazilian people, in coordination with Brazilian authorities as they lead the response," Biden said.

MORE: Earth Day 2024 report card: Experts address America's climate change action

Over the weekend, large parts of Rio Grande do Sul saw close to 4 inches, according to INMET, the National Meteorology Institute.

The World Meteorological Organization is attributing Brazil's record rainfall to El Niño, a surface warming of parts of the Pacific Ocean.

El Niño is the same climate pattern that influences weather patterns in the U.S., frequently bringing above-average rainfall to parts of California and dry conditions in the Ohio Valley during the winter months, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.