The heavy rain that hit Petrópolis on Sunday (20) caused 250 landslides, hitting houses and streets in 19 locations in the city. The data were released this Monday (21) by the city hall. Five people died and three more are missing.
The pluviometric index reached 534.4 millimeters in 24 hours, which caused collapse of houses, landslides of barriers and flooding of streets, transformed into real rivers, dragging cars, garbage and everything else ahead.
In the morning, a group of dozens of firefighters left the capital to support the search for victims in the mountain town. According to the city hall, the regions most affected by the landslides were Alto da Serra, Bingen, Castelânea, Centro, Chácara Flora, Duarte da Silveira, Estrada da Saudade, Independência, Morin, Mosela, Quissamã, Quitandinha, Saldanha Marinho, São Sebastião, Siméria. , Valparaíso and Vila Militar.
Among the dead are two people who lived in Morro da Oficina, the place most affected by the flood on February 15. Despite the risk, many still resist leaving houses located near the area that collapsed. Some don’t want to leave what little they’ve got throughout their lives. Others do not want to stay in collective shelters, as the granting of social rent is still at a slow pace, due to bureaucratic issues and because there are no properties available for rent in the city.
“The Secretariat of Social Assistance works to guarantee assistance to 839 people who went to the support points because of the rain this Sunday. In addition to these, support is maintained for the 289 people who are accompanied on account of the February rains. At the moment, 23 places are being used to shelter people in public schools or in voluntary structures organized by the communities”, informed the city hall.
Governor
In a meeting with Mayor Rubens Bomtempo, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro, committed to carrying out emergency interventions in the Extravasor Tunnel, in Quissamã, where occurrences were recorded during the rain on Sunday (20). The meeting took place on Monday at the city hall.
“The structural problems in the Extravasor Tunnel are something that concerns us a lot. It is necessary to recover this tunnel, which is so important to minimize flooding in the city center at the beginning of Rua do Imperador and guarantee the safety of those who live in the surroundings”, said Bomtempo.
According to the governor, this emergency work will cost around R$ 40 million. “We are committed to the Petropolitan society and we are going to work together to recover the city”, said Claudio Castro.
