High precipitation caused the breaking of dams and the overflow of rivers in the state of Bahia during the weekend.
Le Monde with AFP
The floods caused by heavy rains in the state of Bahia (north-east of Brazil) have made two new deaths, with the number of deaths since early November in the region, with nearly 63,000 displaced people , according to the local authorities Mondage 27 December.
“We live the biggest catastrophe in the history of Bahia,” said Governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, who has been supervising a joint operation in the affected areas with the federal government and other states.
Two new deaths were recorded in the city of Itabuna. A 21-year-old man was swept away by the current and a 33-year-old woman was killed by a landslide, according to the latest report of the local government Monday afternoon.
“The water begins to fall at the source of the Cachoeira River and, although slowly, we expect an improvement in the coming days,” said Governor Costa.
Streets transformed into rivers
Houses were underwater and streets transformed into a river in several municipalities from the southern state, affected since Thursday by strong rainfall that caused the rupture of dams and the overflow of rivers during the weekend during the weekend during the weekend . In Itapetinga, Aerial images of the France-Press agency show three men paddling flat on a benchwitch in a street, surrounded by houses whose water arrives to the windows.
The number of displaced people to almost doubled since Sunday with nearly 62,800 people who had to leave their homes according to the Civil Protection of Bahia (Sudec). In addition, 358 people have been injured since the beginning of heavy rainfall in November. In total, it is estimated that 116 municipalities, including at least 100 in an emergency, and more than 471,000 people are affected by these rains.
“There is a correlation” between rains intensity in the north-east of the country and the Niña phenomenon, which causes precipitation greater than normal, estimated Estael Sias, meteorologist in Metsul.
The equivalent of a month of water has fallen into some municipalities, particularly in Salvador, the capital of the State of Bahia, which received on Friday up to five times the historic average of 58 mm for the month from December, according to the civilian defense of the city.