To better organize the receipt and distribution of donations that arrive in Petrópolis, drivers from other cities began to be directed to the district of Itaipava, where a collection center was opened by the city hall.
The city, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, was hit by heavy rains that caused floods and landslides since Tuesday (15). Official data indicate that 152 confirmed deaths.
The plant is located at the Tec Auto dealership, on highway BR-040, km 62, s/n. According to the Petrópolis city hall, the change was made to reduce congestion in areas affected by the rains.
Companhia Petropolitana de Trânsito e Transportes (CPTrans) set up barriers on the Quitandinha and Bingen porticos to direct drivers to the new Itaipava plant.
The operation has the support of the Federal Highway Police and Concer, the concessionaire that manages this stretch of the BR-040. According to the CEO of CPTrans, Jamil Sabrá, the collection center set up on the court of the Catholic University (UCP) in Bingen, last week, is no longer receiving donations.
“Petrópolis is receiving a lot of help from many cities. We are very grateful for that. It’s a very difficult time for the city, and any help is very welcome. So, we set up this operation to optimize the receipt and distribution of donations. At the same time, our concern is to reduce congestion near areas affected by the rains. Traffic delays hinder emergency care and street cleaning services and clearing roads where there have been landslides”.
Donations that are still in Bingen will be distributed to city hall support points.
donation points
Volunteers receive donations for the victims of the rains in Petrópolis, in the parish of São José da Lagoa, south of Rio de Janeiro – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
In the city of Rio de Janeiro, several initiatives set up points to receive donations for the victims of the rains in Petrópolis.
MetrôRio, in partnership with the state government, is receiving donations at the Pavuna, Central, Carioca, Largo do Machado and Jardim Oceânico stations. Among the items requested are mineral water, children’s and adult clothes and hygiene and cleaning material.
Boxes were made available to receive donations near the security room and identified with the name of the campaign, which runs until next Thursday (24). The donations will be taken by the Transport Department to the families of Petrópolis.
The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro opened the doors of São José da Lagoa Parish, in Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, and Christ the Redeemer to receive donations such as food, water, hygiene and cleaning material.
The parish is open 24 hours a day since Wednesday and, so far, the donations received are filling eight trucks a day, for Petrópolis.
Another place that receives donations is the Citizenship Action Shed, in the city’s port area. The organization is known for the Natal Sem Fome campaign and, at the end of last year, started the SOS Floods Brazil campaign, to support regions affected by natural disasters.
Social movements
The NGO Ação da Cidadania receives donations in the shed at the organization’s headquarters, in the central area of the city Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
The Movement of Small Farmers (MPA), Movement of Homeless Workers (MTST) and the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) sent volunteers to Petrópolis to help displaced families.
A Solidarity Campaign Kitchen and search and health task force brigades will be set up in the city. Over the next week, the resources donated to the Permanent Solidarity Campaign Mutirão Contra a Fome will be used to purchase agroecological food from MPA peasant families.
In addition to food, the campaign collects cleaning material, masks, alcohol gel, adult and child diapers, absorbent pads and other hygiene items that can be delivered to collection points. One of them is Raízes do Brasil, in Santa Teresa.
