ShelterBox District 9940 Update &
Brazil Press Release
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| Floods and mudslides have left a trail of devastation in their wake. Photograph: Radio e Televisão Teresopolis |
A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) and representatives from ShelterBox Brazil are in place to deliver aid to hundreds of families after torrential rains triggered floods and massive landslides in the country.
Conrado Orsatti, from ShelterBox Brazil, travelled to the affected area as soon as the disaster hit. He says the situation is dire and fears it could become worse.
‘There are about 10,000 displaced people who cannot return to their homes because they’re buried,’ he said. ‘Brazil has never before seen a disaster of this proportion. The situation is chaotic, not only for the families who have lost their homes, but the number of dead is expected to exceed 1,500 people.’
The official death toll is now more than 600 people and it is feared hundreds more remain buried under the mudslides. There are five cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro that have been hit the hardest; Petropolis, Teresopolis, Nova Friburgo, São José do Vale do Rio Preto and Sumidouro.
SRT members Mark Eccles (UK) and Laura Dale (UK) were working in Colombia delivering aid after flooding but have now arrived in Brazil to step up the relief effort and clear the logistical channels for aid to be delivered.
Conrado Orsatti, from ShelterBox Brazil, travelled to the affected area as soon as the disaster hit. He says the situation is dire and fears it could become worse.
‘There are about 10,000 displaced people who cannot return to their homes because they’re buried,’ he said. ‘Brazil has never before seen a disaster of this proportion. The situation is chaotic, not only for the families who have lost their homes, but the number of dead is expected to exceed 1,500 people.’
The official death toll is now more than 600 people and it is feared hundreds more remain buried under the mudslides. There are five cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro that have been hit the hardest; Petropolis, Teresopolis, Nova Friburgo, São José do Vale do Rio Preto and Sumidouro.
SRT members Mark Eccles (UK) and Laura Dale (UK) were working in Colombia delivering aid after flooding but have now arrived in Brazil to step up the relief effort and clear the logistical channels for aid to be delivered.
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| Landslides in Brazil have burried hundreds of homes. Photograph: Radio e Televisão Teresopolis |
ShelterBox Head of Operations, John Leach, said: ‘It’s clear there’s a big need in Brazil and ever since the floods and mudslides hit we’ve been doing everything we can to help.
‘ShelterBox Brazil were on the scene immediately, we now have a Response Team in country and more SRT members en route. The next step is ensuring the fast and effective distribution of aid to families in desperate need.’
This is the latest bout of South American floods ShelterBox has responded to with Response Teams still working in Colombia and Panama.
