Categories: EnvironmentWorld

Three dozen dead as Brazil rains cause calamity

Heavy rains in coastal areas of Brazil’s southeast have caused flooding and landslides that killed 36 people and dislodged hundreds of others, according to a statement from Sao Paulo state authorities on Sunday.

Rescue workers continue to look for victims, reconnect isolated communities and clear roads, some of which remain blocked, trapping an undetermined number of tourists who traveled for Brazil’s Carnival celebrations.

Weather forecasts show heavy rains will continue in Sao Paulo’s coastal area, challenging civil defense and fire department rescue teams and raising the prospect of a higher death toll.

The federal government determined the mobilization of several ministries to assist victims, restore infrastructure and start reconstruction work. Sao Paulo state declared a 180-day state of calamity for six cities after what experts described as an unprecedented, extreme weather event.

On Monday, Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas will meet federal officials as they coordinate the response to the tragedy, the statement said.

Operations at the port of Santos, Latin America’s largest, were interrupted amid wind gusts exceeding 55 kpm (34 mph) and waves over one meter high on Saturday, according to a local news outlet.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was spending carnival in Bahia state in Brazil’s northeast, is set to visit the main affected areas on Monday, his office said.

Source : Reuters

GLOBAL BUSINESS AND FINANCE MAGAZINE

Recent Posts

Safe debt financing: International spillovers and the benefits of fiscal policy coordination

Safe government bonds enjoy a discount known as the convenience yield. When a government issues…

2 days ago

The world is urbanizing fast — the window to get it right is narrowing

The most important urban decisions of this century are being made right now, mostly in…

2 days ago

When aging meets digital & AI: Closing the silver digital divide for an aging world

We are living through two megatrends humanity has never seen before. The first is aging.…

2 days ago

Tracking the changing role of foreign direct investment and remittances—check the latest WDI data

For decades, foreign direct investment (FDI) was seen as the primary engine of development finance.…

2 days ago

Automation does not lower the labour share

The rapid diffusion of generative AI has revived fears that a new wave of automation…

3 days ago

When political pressure trumps academic freedom

Academic freedom has been declining over the past decade across the world. This column analyses…

3 days ago