Another man has died in floods in the Brazilian state of Bahia (northeast), which has increased to at least 18 deaths since early November in an area where 58 municipalities are under water and 35,000 people have been displaced. leave their homes, local authorities announced yesterday Sunday.
The Bahia fire brigade has confirmed the death of a 60-year-old man who drowned in a stream in the municipality of Aurelino Leal, in the southern part of the state.
In addition to the 18 people who lost their lives, two others remain missing, while 19,580 were displaced and 16,001 were forced to seek refuge, which means that about 35,000 have been displaced by the weather, according to the Bahia Civil Protection.
The number of people injured in various accidents due to heavy rainfall since November has reached 286, according to the same source. In total, the affected are estimated at 430,869.
The situation worsened even more at the end of the weekend. As of Sunday afternoon, the number of communities in a state of emergency had risen to 72, of which 58 municipalities are facing a flood crisis, according to the state Civil Protection.
The previous day, local authorities spoke of 19 municipalities affected by floods.
“This is a gigantic tragedy. I do not remember anything of equal proportions in the recent history of Bahia. “The number of houses, streets and cities that are completely under water is truly appalling,” said State Governor Hui Costa, who has been airbornely inspecting the affected areas in the south.
A joint operation by federal and state authorities has been under way since Saturday, mobilizing personnel, helicopters and equipment to rescue thousands trapped by the floods, in co-operation with other states (Minas Gerais, Serjipu, Espoo, Espoo). San Paulo).
Some 25 roads have either been cut in half or flooded in various parts of the state, some due to landslides or earthworks, according to the Bahia Ministry of Infrastructure.
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