The Rio de Janeiro Fire Department is still looking for missing persons after the heavy rains that hit several cities in the state on Friday (1st) and yesterday (2nd), especially in the Costa Verde region and Baixada Fluminense.
As a result of the storms, 15 deaths have already been confirmed, eight in Angra dos Reis, six in Paraty and one in Mesquita. The forecast from the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) is for more rain for today (3).
The state is experiencing one of the years of greatest concern in relation to rainfall. In February, Petrópolis, in the Serrana Region, was severely impacted by a storm that left more than 230 dead. The episode was recognized by the city as the greatest tragedy in its history.
Faced with the new occurrences in the state this weekend, Governor Cláudio Castro, of the state of Rio, created a crisis cabinet with the participation of several secretaries. The force of the rains in the early hours of Saturday (2) had a great impact on Ilha Grande, in the municipality of Angra dos Reis, in the Costa Verde region. A landslide swept away trees and houses and left Itaguaçu Beach completely destroyed. Communities on the island famous for tourism, such as Vila do Abraão, were also heavily affected.
“In the last 48 hours, Angra dos Reis reached a volume equivalent to 655 mm (millimeters) on the mainland, and 592 mm on Ilha Grande, rates never recorded before,” said the city hall in a note published on its website. Against this backdrop, a state of emergency was declared.
Residents and merchants in the community of Rio das Pedras suffer from flooding caused by heavy rains that have wreaked havoc in several parts of the state of Rio de Janeiro. – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
In the city of Paraty, south of Angra dos Reis, a landslide hit seven houses in the coastal community of Ponta Negra. The storm in Costa Verde also affected the federal highway BR-101, known as Rio-Santos. According to the National Civil Defense, between Mangaratiba (RJ) and Ubatuba (SP), there are 23 points closed due to fallen trees and landslides.
According to the Fire Department, six people are still missing in Angra dos Reis and one in Paraty. Helicopters were deployed for search operations. “Our aircraft are in action. Teams, equipment and supplies arrive by air within the logistics of the rescue operation in Costa Verde”, informed the corporation through social networks.
The Armed Forces are contributing to the operations, providing support for the transport of firefighters, dogs and search and rescue devices.
The Navy informed today (3) that it is supporting the National Secretariat for Civil Defense and Protection with an SH-16 aircraft. The action is part of the Mobilization of Support of the Ministry of Defense, in response to the disaster that occurred in Angra dos Reis and Paraty, after the heavy rains on April 1st.
The Armed Forces will provide logistical support for the transport of firefighters, dogs and search and rescue equipment from Rio de Janeiro to Angra and other affected locations, in addition to the displacement of the Disaster Support Group team.
Navy SH-16 aircraft participates in an operation in Angra dos Reis and Paraty, cities hit by heavy rains (Brazil Agency-Brazil’s navy)
The SH-16 aircraft belongs to the 1st Squadron of Anti-Submarine Helicopters, of the Naval Air Force Command, and has five soldiers in the crew. The aircraft also participated in the mobilization in support of the Civil Defense, in the municipality of Petrópolis (RJ).
other regions
The municipality of Nova Iguaçu, one of the hardest hit in the Baixada Fluminense, also declared a state of emergency. The overflow of the Botas River left entire neighborhoods flooded and families completely isolated. In the neighboring municipality, Mesquita, a person died after suffering an electric shock in a flooded road.
The heavy rain also caused inconvenience in the Lakes Region. A barrier completely stopped traffic on the RJ-106 state highway between Saquarema and Maricá. In Rio de Janeiro, the highest volume of rain was recorded in the early evening of Friday (1st), creating pockets of water that blocked roads in different neighborhoods.
The situation was monitored by the Operations Center. In Laranjeiras, in the south of the city, 132 millimeters were recorded between 7pm on Friday (1st) and 7pm yesterday (2nd), leaving the main street of the neighborhood impassable for a few hours.
Faced with the forecast of new storms, the Civil Defense of the state asks that the population not remain in risk areas. There is a risk of new flooding, river overflows and landslides on slopes. Attention is greater in Costa Verde. The Meteorologia keeps alert for the region until 11 am tomorrow (4). According to the forecast, up to 100 millimeters can be accumulated.
* Article changed at 3:23 pm to add information
