Heavy rains and floods that hit the São Sebastião region, a municipality in the state of São Paulo, left a trail of destruction and death. In the latest count, Brazilian authorities have raised the total number of dead to 57 and approximately 30 missing. Off the coast of São Sebastião, a navy aircraft carrier was anchored on Thursday to serve as a floating hospital, with 300 beds and 50 doctors to alleviate the overcrowded hospitals in the area.
The torrential rains left more than 2,000 people homeless and caused several landslides, forcing many to abandon their homes due to the risk of houses collapsing and trapping many people. Roads along the coast collapsed, and some cars were submerged. A state of emergency has been declared in several cities in the region. A federal government “crisis cabinet” was also created in the region, headed by the Minister of Integration, Waldez Góes, who met with the mayors of twelve cities on the coast of São Paulo to analyze each situation individually. Among the fatalities were a nine-year-old child and a nine-month-old baby in São Sebastião. A two-year-old child, who was buried in the Vila Sahy region of São Sebastião, one of the areas most affected by the storms, was rescued and taken to the hospital.
The rain had a strong impact on the water supply, as some treatment plants were affected by the floodwaters, which dragged tree trunks, rocks, and a lot of mud. Technicians tried to restore the service, and tanker trucks were made available to hospitals and the most affected areas. The recommendation was for people to conserve water. Rainfall levels were among the highest ever recorded in the country in a short period and in a situation not resulting from a tropical cyclone.
