The number of people killed by the storms that hit the north coast of São Paulo last weekend, and more rain is expected for the next few days, the state government said this Thursday (23).
The death toll is expected to rise as efforts to search for dozens of missing people continue.
The weather forecast for the region is for moderate to heavy rain, after cities on the north coast of São Paulo recorded, over the weekend, the heaviest rainfall ever seen in Brazil in 24 hours — more than 630 millimeters — since the beginning of this type of rain. measurement, which left more than 3,000 people homeless and a trail of destruction and death.
“According to meteorologists, in the period between Thursday and Saturday, the days will be marked by the presence of sun among some clouds, which will contribute to guarantee the feeling of heat and stuffiness in the region of the north coast”, said the São Paulo government. in note.
“This condition, combined with the humidity coming from the ocean and the Amazon, will create meteorological conditions for moderate to heavy rains, accompanied by lightning, winds and punctual hail.”
Teams from the Civil Defense, Fire Department and Military Police of São Paulo worked to search for victims and rescue survivors.
A Navy ship, equipped with helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, landing vehicles and soldiers from the Marine Corps, is due to dock this Thursday in São Sebastião, the city most affected by the tragedy, with 48 deaths — the other death happened in Ubatuba.
Earlier this Thursday, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, asked in an interview with CNN Brasil that a permanent emergency be declared in 1,038 municipalities where disasters caused by extreme weather events are frequent.
Tragedies like the one on the north coast of São Paulo are common in Brazilian cities during the rainy season due to precarious constructions and in risk areas.
In February last year, more than 200 people died after floods and landslides hit Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro.
Bahia and Santa Catarina have also recently suffered from natural disasters.
Copyright © Thomson Reuters.