Flood in Brazil, Lula guarantees aid from the federal government

(ANSA) – RIO DE JANEIRO, 02 MAY – The federal government of Brazil “will be 100% at the disposal of the State of Rio Grande do Sul” hit in the last two days by an unprecedented wave of bad weather. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said this during an institutional meeting in Porto Alegre where he flew accompanied by a large government delegation to closely monitor the emergency operations. “Everything that is within the government’s reach will be done. There will be no shortage of money for health care, the restoration of transport and the sending of food to the population,” said Lula, highlighting that the damage assessment and the search for resources for reconstruction will be made later because “now the priority is to save people”. Meanwhile – according to the G1 portal – the death toll has risen to 24. Many locations in the 147 municipalities affected are isolated due to landslides and floods that have destroyed roads and bridges. Part of the state is without electricity and at least 14,500 people have had to abandon their homes. The weather alert remains for the next 36 hours in which meteorologists predict “atmospheric micro-explosions” with winds over 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rain. (HANDLE).