Rescuers Are Still Looking for 57 Missing People in Sao Paulo

On Wednesday, the rescue teams continued to work on the coast of the state of Sao Paulo in search of 57 Brazilians missing after the disaster caused by heavy rains, which have left 48 dead so far.

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The storms began on Saturday, when the majority of Brazilians were celebrating the Carnival festivities. Although the intensity of the rains has decreased in much of the country, the drizzle that persists in Sao Paulo has made the work of rescuers difficult.

During the early hours of Wednesday, the Sao Paulo government confirmed the discovery of two fatalities. Rescue work is concentrated above all in the city of Sao Sebastiao, where most of the victims of this disaster have been registered, which was caused by the heaviest rainfall seen in this tourist region.

Almost 3,000 people have had to leave their homes due to the possibility of new landslides. Over the last decades, the Sao Paulo coast has increased its population due to the irregular occupation of land and the construction of houses.

The tweet reads, "We flew over the regions affected by heavy rains in Sao Sebastiao on the coast of Sao Paulo. The federal government will join the efforts to support the victims and face this tragedy."

During a visit to the region, Brazil's President Lula da Silva and Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas agreed to establish an aid plan for affected families.

On Monday, the population affected by the winter storm began to receive food, medicine, hygiene products, and clothing, which are currently distributed by Civil Defense personnel and members of the Armed Forces.

The Brazilian Navy will install a field hospital and send an aircraft carrier, which will serve as a base for helicopters that participate in rescue operations and care for victims.

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