Floods in Brazil: new assessment of 64 dead

The floods and landslides that affected South-East Brazil a week ago left 64 dead, while a person is still missing.

MO12345lemonde with AFP

“Until now have been confirmed 64 dead”, among which have been identified “20 men, 17 women and 18 children”, according to the authorities of the State of Sao Paulo. Sao Sebastiao, a seaside resort located 200 kilometers from Sao Paulo, received nearly 680 millimeters of rain in 24 hours at the end of last week. Or more than double the monthly average of precipitation, and the cumulative volume in a highest day ever recorded in Brazil, according to the authorities. A week after the storm leading to floods and landslides, a person was still missing, according to the Civil Defense, and more than 2,400 people were moved, according to the latest report made public on Sunday, February 26 by the authorities.

The governor of Sao Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, admitted Thursday that the population alert system by SMS messages was not enough and announced the installation of mermaids in risk areas and the construction of housing housing For the homeless.

Experts attribute these extreme events to a combination of the effects of climate change and uncontrolled urbanization. In Brazil, 9.5 million people live in areas exposed to landslides or floods, many of which in favelas devoid of basic health infrastructure, according to the National Center for Surveillance and Alert for Natural Pays for the country , Cemaden.

/Media reports cited above.