When Claudio Almiro finally left his destroyed home in the flood-ravaged south of Brazil, he had to struggle through waist-high water.
The 55-year-old, with a graying goatee, emaciated face and tired features, took refuge in a cultural center in Gravatai, a northern suburb of Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
He is one of more than 8,000 residents of that state who have fled to shelters after leaving their homes because of the torrential rains that left about forty people dead and dozens missing.
Almiro, who is unemployed, says the disaster destroyed his home and all his possessions.
“The water continued to rise after I left, so … nothing could be saved,” he says.
“Many people even lost their lives. I raise my hand to heaven and thank God that I am alive.”
At the Vila dos Anjos cultural center, where around twenty victims of the disaster live, volunteers distributed clothing and toiletries.
Blankets, T-shirts, underwear, flip-flops, toothbrushes: donations are piled up in the reception room and everything is carefully sorted.
“Take several pairs of socks with you because if they get wet you won’t be able to dry them,” a volunteer tells Almiro.
“There are several places like this in the city that receive disaster victims but also receive donations from citizens, which we distribute to those in need,” says Juliano Rocha, head of Gravatai’s social service.
– Fear of further flooding –
The New Horizons animal shelter, which normally houses homeless people in Gravatai, was also asked for help.
It was improvised to accommodate 51 disaster victims in addition to the ten regular residents.
“We converted the meeting room, living room and dining room into bedrooms. To cope with this situation, we had to rethink the entire space and turn everything upside down in just three hours,” says social worker Fabiana Moura.
Next to a bunk bed, Susete Pereira, 39, takes a red blanket from a bag of donations given to her upon her arrival. It also contains clothes, sanitary pads and other essentials.
“I think I’ve really lost everything. It’s really desperate,” complains Pereira, her eyes moistening behind her rose-colored glasses.
“I’m worried about another flood in September and we haven’t even managed to get back on our feet yet.”
The state of Rio Grande do Sul was also hit by extreme rainfall last year, particularly in September when a cyclone killed more than thirty people.
fab-lg/tmo/tjj/bfm