Brazil Floods Death Over 506 People

 The number of victims of flash floods and landslides in Brazil keeps growing. In addition, heavy rains accompanied with sections landslide re-plagued Latin American countries. Local media reported that up to yesterday (14 / 1) The death toll has reached 506 people. That number exceeds the number of victims killed in landslides in 1967. At that time, 437 people were killed. Avalanche when it considered the worst disaster in Brazil. In fact, flooding and landslides this time much worse.

Brazilian government worry about the death toll continues to decline. Because, there are still many people missing or unaccounted for. Some reports put the number of victims lost in the hundreds. Rescue workers expected to find more bodies of victims. Rescue teams have arrived at a number of villages and regions that initially isolated by the outbreak of the roads and bridges after the flood struck. Even the rescue team took the risk to face the possibility of landslides and aftershocks in the search for the body believed to residents still living. Heavy rain which flushed yesterday made the disaster site in the swampy areas increasingly unstable.

"This is really unexpected. The atmosphere and conditions on the ground is very surprising," said President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff after seeing the disaster site in the Serrana region, north of Rio de Janeiro, last Thursday (13 / 1) or pm local time yesterday morning ( 14 / 1). Rousseff was determined that his government would take steps quick and tangible to help the victims. So far, the Brazilian government has channeled U.S. $ 470 million (around Rp 4.23 trillion) emergency funds early and sending seven tons of medicines. The disaster became the first test for Rousseff since taking power two weeks ago. He succeeded his predecessor, Inacia Luiz Lula da Silva, who is very popular among the people of Brazil.

Very heavy rainfall accompanied the storm, with rainfall levels equivalent to rain a month, milking Brazilian territory before dawn on Wednesday (12 / 1). As a result, landslides hit several towns and villages in the country. The houses, roads and bridges destroyed. Phone lines and electricity cut off. Condition worst hit town of Novo Friburgo. At least 225 people there were killed. In Teresopolis 223 were killed, and in Petropolis 39 people found lifeless. In addition, 10 people were killed in the village Sumidouro. The churches and police stations have been turned into a morgue. The body of the victim was deliberately put there for a while. The stench from the bodies of the victims smelled everywhere. The atmosphere-wrenching grief is felt also in Teresopolis. The bodies of victims were stacked in the temporary morgue.

Outside, people gathered to ensure the presence or absence of their families who are victims and placed there. They looked at the photographs posted on the victim's face close to the body bag. Most of the bodies which are children, women, and elderly (seniors). They were asleep when the landslide struck and helpless to save themselves. More than 12 thousand people homeless. their homes swept away in flooding and landslides. There are also people who deliberately leave the house because it is not safe. Tourism, which became the mainstay and source of income Serrana region, devastated. Hotels lose millions of dollars after the tourists, most of them residents of Rio de Janeiro, decided to leave.

"The situation is like a bomb full of mud fell into a tourist resort. Economics city has been destroyed," said Arnaldo Miranda, artistic director at the city of Novo Friburgo, told the daily Jornal do Brasil. Meanwhile, the floods that hit the state of Queensland, Australia, began to recede. Puddle of mud in Brisbane yesterday was not as high as before. The third largest city in this country have a chance to beat the threat of severe damage after the levees Kangaroo Brisbane River burst its banks two days ago. Flash floods also hit, damaging, and destroying many buildings and infrastructure.

 

Height of water in the river yesterday dropped two meters after reaching about five meters on Thursday. Losses due to flooding in Queensland is estimated to approximately USD 5 billion (around Rp 45 trillion). More than 26 thousand homes inundated in Brisbane. Of that amount, 11,900 houses were badly damaged and occupied by the owner until a few weeks or few months. electricity supplies to thousands of homes still cut off and some major roads are still blocked. As many as 22 people were killed in the disaster, from the total, 16 of whom became victims of floods in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, and Toowoomba City.

Governor of Queensland, Anna Bligh with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited the Grantham, the town hit by severe flooding of the valley, yesterday. On that occasion, Grantham describes Bligh as one of the central points of damage. He saw the houses were destroyed and cars tricked flooding. "Landscape in Grantham that can only be compared to a war zone," said Bligh. "This city has been out of shape again and Roads. Various facilities were badly damaged. It is very difficult for residents to return to their homes," he continued. Soldiers and rescue teams continued to comb the city to search for missing victims. Prime Minister Gillard has doubled the number of troops to 1,200 people to help evacuate victims of the worst natural disaster in Australia since 1974