The Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has suffered from flooding resulting in over half a million people being displaced from their homes and 147 are confirmed to have died in the floods.
Rescue workers continue to search for people who are missing.
The rise in the water levels of the Taquari and Caí is particularly worrying because the two rivers flow into the Guaíba, which has already caused severe flooding in the state capital, Porto Alegre.
Large parts of the city, which is home to 1.5million people, remain under water.
Soldiers have been patrolling flooded neighbourhoods in boats after reports of lootings.
Brazil's President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said that emergency funds would be made available to rebuild damaged infrastructure.
With the help of a boat, he was in the Rio Branco neighborhood, where the Immaculada Conceição parish is located. Fr. Juarez was received by the Vicar, Father Rodrigo Rubi.
Demonstrations of solidarity with the situation faced by Rio Grande do Sul are spreading across dioceses across Brazil. The distance is the least. The help comes through financial donations to organizations in the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre and Regional South 3 of the CNBB, as well as through material donations, which arrive in the capital despite all the logistical difficulties that the floods caused.
Check out some initiatives:
Archdiocese of Florianópolis
The Archdiocesan Social Action and parishes of the Archdiocese of Florianópolis launched the Solidarity Mobilization Campaign for Rio Grande do Sul with the aim of collecting supplies for donation to those affected by the rains and floods. Non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, cleaning products and mineral water are being collected. Collection points were organized in several cities across the Archdiocese.
Archdiocese of Curitiba
The Archdiocese of Curitiba, through its archbishop Dom José Antônio Peruzzo, promotes an action to collect drinking water and hopes to count on the support of all parishes, communities and movements linked to the archdiocese. “At this critical moment, solidarity is the most eloquent language,” said Bishop Peruzzo. “The victims face a serious and traumatic situation, with a lack of food and, above all, drinking water. We need to act quickly to help them.”
Archdiocese of Cascavel
The Archdiocese of Cascavel, in Paraná, also mobilized to collect donations, which can be delivered to the Catedral Nossa Senhora Aparecida, in the municipality of Cascavel. In the Archdiocese of Paraná there is Dom Aparecido Donizetti de Souza, who was auxiliary bishop in Porto Alegre between 2015 and 2022.
Archdiocese of São Paulo
The Archdiocese of São Paulo, through Cáritas Arquidiocesana de São Paulo (CASP), has mobilized the faithful since the end of April requesting support for the campaign for the victims of the heavy rains that have hit Rio Grande do Sul since last Monday- fair, April 29th.
The resources raised by the campaign will be sent to parishes in the affected regions. In September last year, the Archdiocese/CASP also carried out a campaign for the victims of the storms that hit the state at the time.
Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro
The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro created a special page addressing the donation campaign for flood victims, publicizing the CNBB South Regional 3 account for financial collaboration through the Pix key.
https://arqrio.org.br/campanha-em-favor-das-vitimas-das-chuvas-no-rio-grande-do-sul/
Archdiocese of Brasilia
The Archdiocese of Brasília is united in this difficult time and has launched a campaign to collect donations to be sent to Rio Grande do Sul. In the article published on its portal, information for donations was made available through the Pix key of the Cáritas Arquidiocesana Service - Key PIX (CNPJ: 92.679.935/0001-64).
Archdiocese of Goiânia
The Archdiocese of Goiânia, through its archbishop, Dom João Justino de Medeiros, as a form of assistance to Rio Grande do Sul announced that all collections from the 18th and 19th of May - Solemnity of Pentecost - in the parishes of the Archdiocese will be sent to Rio Grande do Sul. Parish communities organized themselves to collect other donations to be sent to the State.
Diocese of Rondonópolis-Guiratinga
The diocese of Rondonópolis-Guiratinga, in the south of Mato Grosso, collected donations throughout last week to be sent to Rio Grande do Sul. Five trucks left on Saturday, the 10th, traveled more than 2 thousand kilometers and arrived on Monday, on the 13th, in Porto Alegre, to deliver the collected supplies. The mobilization was organized by the diocesan bishop, Dom Maurício Jardim, a gaúcho from Sapucaia do Sul.
Sources: BBC and https://www.arquipoa.com/
Comments