Tag: Brazil

Severe rain in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul caused floods that killed 37 people. Another 74 people are still missing. Many cities were heavily affected by the floods and thousands of people had to leave their homes.

There were four big environmental disasters in one year. In July, September, and November 2023, there were floods that killed 75 people in total.

The flooding in the whole state is worse than the historic flood in 1941, according to the Brazilian Geological Service. The water levels in some cities were the highest they have been in almost 150 years, according to the agency.

On Thursday, a dam at a power plant between Bento Goncalves and Cotipora broke and flooded cities in the Taquari River valley, such as Lajeado and Estrela. In Feliz town, a big river flooded and washed away a bridge that connected it to the nearby city of Linha Nova, which is 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the state capital, Porto Alegre.

Without internet, phones, or power, people had a hard time telling their family in other states what was happening. The helicopters kept flying over the cities. Families with kids were stuck on the rooftops, waiting to be rescued.

The heavy rain started on Monday and will continue until at least Saturday, according to Marcelo Seluchi, the main weather expert at Brazil’s public television network.

On Thursday night, Governor Eduardo Leite warned the people of the state, called gauchos, about the continued heavy rains and flooding. He said that things were going to get worse in Porto Alegre.

“I feel really sad, just like every gaucho does,” he said. As governor, I promise to stay strong and make sure we don’t fail. We are working hard and staying focused to make sure we get everything done.

The weather in South America is influenced by a natural event called El Niño. El Niño warms the water in the Pacific Ocean near the Equator. In the past, El Niño has caused dry weather in the north and heavy rain in the south of Brazil.

This year, the effects of El Niño have been really severe, causing a very bad drought in the Amazon. Researchers say that extreme weather is happening more often because of people’s impact on the climate.

Strong rain in Brazil this weekend caused at least 23 people to die in the southeastern states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo.

The government of the state of Espirito Santos said on Sunday that 15 people have died and nearly 5,000 people have had to leave their homes because of the heavy rain that started on Friday night. Officials in Rio said that eight people died on Saturday.

Thirteen people died in Mimoso do Sul, a city in the countryside of Espirito Santo, which is 74 kilometers (46 miles) south of the capital Vitoria.

Both rescue teams in the states had to stop working on Friday night because of the danger of more landslides. They resumed their efforts on Saturday afternoon.

The mayors and governors of Brazil’s Southeast region have told people that there may be problems this weekend since Thursday. The government says there will be a lot of rain in Espirito Santo state until midnight.

This news story is still being updated. Come back later for more information.

In the city of São Paulo, a judge has imposed fines totaling R$240 million ($48.3 million; £38.3 million) on officials and construction firms in response to a catastrophic building site collapse.

The tragedy occurred in 2007, claiming the lives of seven individuals when a massive sinkhole suddenly emerged, engulfing pedestrians and vehicles. The incident transpired as workers were excavating a tunnel to expand the metro system in the Pinheiros neighborhood, leading to a sudden collapse of the earth.

The judge attributed the disaster to “negligent” and “hazardous” actions, emphasizing that project leaders disregarded warnings from experts who stressed the urgent need for support structures in the tunnel. Despite these warnings, construction continued hastily in a bid to expedite the project.

Former executives of São Paulo’s Metrô, an engineer, and a construction inspector, alongside six companies, were among those ordered to pay compensation. Even one worker, who tragically passed away in 2018, was held liable posthumously, with the judge mandating restitution from his heirs.

The sinkhole, spanning 2,200 square meters (23,680 square feet), swallowed a minibus, demolished seven homes, and displaced around 200 individuals. Aerial images of the site depicted the magnitude of the crater, with vehicles submerged within.

Prosecutors emphasized the profound impact of the disaster on São Paulo’s populace, describing the trauma as “extraordinarily intense” for Brazil’s most populous city.

Despite the verdict, those convicted are anticipated to file appeals against the ruling.

Authorities in Pennsylvania are currently searching for a prisoner who managed to escape just one week after being given a lifelong prison sentence for committing a murder.

Danelo Cavalcante, a citizen of Brazil, ran away from Chester County Prison in West Chester early on Thursday.

A week ago, he was sent to prison for the rest of his life because he killed his ex-girlfriend by stabbing her, while her two little children watched.

Cavalcante is being sought after for killing someone in Brazil.

During a news conference on Thursday, the temporary leader of the prison, Howard Holland, did not provide any information about how the escape happened. He mentioned that they are currently conducting an investigation.

He was seen walking on a road in Pocopson Township, close to the prison, about an hour after he ran away.

People who live within a six-mile (9km) distance from the prison were informed about the escape and advised to be very careful. Many police agencies are now searching for him and are using dogs, drones, and helicopters to try and find him.

Chester County district attorney Deb Ryan warned us on Thursday not to get close to him if we see him. Please call 911. People think he is very dangerous.

Authorities say that in April 2021, Cavalcante killed his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao by stabbing her in front of her young children, aged four and seven. Brandao was stabbed almost 40 times during the crime.

He got caught by the police a few hours later, after running away to Virginia.

Last week, the Chester County district attorney’s office said in a Facebook post that Brandao had warned that he would tell the police after discovering that Cavalcante had a warrant for murder in Brazil.

MsRyan, who is in charge of law enforcement in Chester County, told the Local Daily News that Cavalcante, a person who used to be part of a gang, is thought to have killed a man in Brazil in 2017 because the man owed him money.

The US Marshals Service and local authorities are giving $10,000 (£7,889) to anyone who can provide helpful information that leads to his capture.