The rains that keep the state of attention in part of Minas Gerais, where the state government has already recognized the emergency situation in at least 80 cities, continue to cause damage and inconvenience to the population.
In the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte alone, between yesterday (11) and this morning (12), the Fire Department responded to 74 calls related to the effects of the storms.
Of the total occurrences recorded in the region, 54 cases involved the risk of falling trees. Twelve calls were motivated by floods, overflows or floods; seven due to landslides and a request for support from other public bodies.
The biggest disturbances were registered in Sabará, in the metropolitan region of the capital of Minas Gerais. According to the municipal Civil Defense coordinator, Elias Magalhães, in just one hour it rained the equivalent of 84 millimeters (mm), a volume that the city hall classifies as “far above normal” and which caused the collapse of four retaining walls.
“With that, a stream overflowed and about 24 houses were affected, including a shelter for the elderly where there were 37 people. Fortunately, it was not necessary to remove anyone from the site”, said Magalhães, explaining to Brazil Agency that, although the water that overflowed from the river that cuts through the city flooded some streets, dragging a lot of mud and dirt into the interior of the houses, no resident needed to be taken to shelters, although at least two families went temporarily to the house of relatives .
affected houses
“There was no need to remove anyone from the site. From the moment the river level dropped, residents began to clean their homes. There are still some people out of the house, but finishing the cleaning”, added the coordinator, assuring that city officials are working to clear and clean the public roads. “What’s more is leakage from roofs and slabs. About 45 occurrences.”
According to the state Civil Defense, the sky, today, should remain cloudy, with the possibility of rain showers and isolated thunderstorms in the North, Northwest, Central Mineira, West, South/Southwest and Triângulo Mineiro/Alto Paranaíba. Other regions, partly cloudy skies with rain showers and isolated thunderstorms.
The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) issued alert for the risk of heavy rains (between 30 and 100 mm/h) and strong winds (60 to 100 km/h) affecting almost the entire state, with the exception of the strip on the border with Goiás.
