Petrópolis: families affected by storm to receive financial aid

Families affected by the storm on February 15 that hit Petrópolis - the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro - shall have access to financial aid. According to local authorities, one of the benefits is the so called social rent. Families who lost their homes will receive BRL 1,000,00 from state and municipal governments.

After 12 days of searching, the death toll in the tragedy has reached 229, and 20 missing people. 875 people are in shelters set up by local authorities in 13 schools.

Bill

A bill sent by the city hall to the Petrópolis City Council proposes tax exemption for properties rented by beneficiaries of social rent, as well as exemption from the garbage collection fee. Mayor Rubens Bomtemp said he will also ask for exemption from water and electricity fees.

The city government is also seeking a partnership with the third sector to purchase food and essential furniture and household utensils, such as stoves, refrigerators, beds, and closets for families who have lost everything. 

Cleaning up the area

On Sunday (Feb. 27) Civil Defense continued to remove rubbles at Morro da Oficina - the most affected region - to clear up the area. The work preceded by SMS notices to the registered local population is done with a low-impact technique, using chemical reaction instead of explosives.

More than 41,000 tons of rubble have been removed so far from the streets of Petrópolis after the rains. Teams have been cleaning, clearing up, and recovering roads, restoring services, strengthening security, assisting the affected population and rescuing victims.

16 roads blocked by landslides have already been cleared and 432 cars damaged by the rain have been removed from the streets. Electricity supply has been normalized for 30 thousand users and 96.3 percent of the local population have their water supply back again.