Deadly flooding hits Brazil, killing at least 18 and displacing thousands
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Loading... - Ashley Walsh
- 28 Dec 2021
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The floods have affected nearly 40 cities throughout the state of Bahia, Gov. Rui Costa told reporters in the city of Ilheus, one of the worst-hit.
"This is a massive tragedy. I can't remember seeing anything like this in Bahia's recent history, given the amount of cities and houses involved. It's truly terrifying, there are so many houses and streets that are completely under water," Costa said.
More than 35,000 people have been forced from their homes, according to Bahia's civil defense and protection agency.
The Duas Ilhas dam ruptured in the Brazilian city of Jussiape on Sunday, rising already swollen rivers and flooding surrounding areas.
Jussiape's Mayor Eder Aguiar blamed climate change for the devastation. "We know rain can be seen as a blessing from God but that due to the ecological imbalance that we, human beings, have caused, there can be too much of it, causing serious damage," Aguiar said.
"With great sadness, I was able to witness the rupture of the Duas Ilhas dam, our town's main source of potable water. This caused a sudden level rise of the Contas river, causing streets in our city to become flooded," he added.
Duas Ilhas dam was the second to burst in two days. A dam in the city of Itambé, also in Bahia, ruptured late Saturday.
Brazil's meteorological and natural disaster monitoring agencies warn there is a risk of additional floods and landslides in Bahia, with the possibility of rainfall continuing until at least Tuesday, according to Agencia Brasil. Read More…
