São Paulo: 970 people displaced and 747 homeless after heavy rain

São Sebastião, on the northern coast of São Paulo, was the most affected municipality by the storms that hit the region between Saturday (Feb. 18) and Sunday (19).

Water, electricity, and telephone services have been affected due to the fall of light poles and sediments in water treatment plants. Concession companies are working to reestablish the supply of essential services. In São Sebastião and Ilhabela, 14 tanker trucks are providing emergency water supply until the systems are regularized. The priority is to help the victims. More than 970 people have been displaced and 747 are homeless, according to São Paulo government. So far, 36 deaths have been confirmed, 35 of them in São Sebastião and one in Ubatuba.

Authorities have reported that over 500 people, among security and rescue personnel from the state government, Armed Forces, Federal Police, São Sebastião municipality, and volunteers, are still engaged in rescue and identification of the victims.

São Paulo Social Fund and civil defense have sent more than 10 tons of humanitarian aid products to the affected cities in the region.

Weather forecast

A sunny day with clouds - with typical summer rains - is expected for today. For São Sebastião and Ilhabela, the forecast is 35 millimeters (mm) of precipitation. In the last 48 hours, the accumulated rainfall stood at 649 mm in São Sebastião and 346 mm in Ilhabela, which are among the most popular beaches during Brazilian summer.