15th January, 2011

DAVID ADAMS

Almost 600 people have been confirmed dead and more than 13,000 left homeless following floods Brazil following the country’s worst natural disaster in 40 years.

Catholic relief agency Caritas report that mudslides have wiped out entire neighbourhoods and say that limited access to the affected region, which includes the towns of Teresopolis, Novo Friburgo and Petropolis and lies about 100 kilometres to the north of Rio de Janeiro, is hampering relief efforts.

Maria Cristina dos Anjos, Secretary General of Caritas Brazil, said in a statement this week that many phone lines had been cut and roads were unable to be used.

“The Bishop of Petropolis told me there is total chaos where he is,” she says. “People urgently need drinking water, food and hygiene articles. Many have lost their homes.”

Caritas said that with relief efforts not yet having reached all affected areas, the death toll is expected to rise.

Caritas is providing drinking water, sanitation-related items, bedding, food and healthcare to the affected and says those made homeless are being housed in local churches.

Ms dos Anjos says that it’s the poor who are most affected.

“Those who live in makeshift homes and who out of poverty have to settle in high risk zones are particularly vulnerable. More prevention could have saved many lives in this disaster.”

“The precarious situation of the poor is a problem in many parts of Brazil. Whether it is these flood victims, people living in slums in the big urban areas or indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest suffering from the consequences of deforestation, more needs to be done to insure decent living conditions to the poor.”

The national government, under newly elected President Dilma Rousseff, has pledged a $US420 million rescue package.

~ www.caritas.org