Perilous
Times and Climate Change
Severe storms, Massive Flood Affects 64,000 in Northern
Brazil
2012-02-23 09:34:09
Xinhua
The flood in the state of Acre in northern Brazil has already
affected 64,000 people and the situation is expected to get worse,
the local Civil Defense said Wednesday.
The Civil Defense said it is the second worst flood ever
registered in the state, with about 8,500 people having lost their
homes and 44,700 having to be temporarily relocated.
"The estimates should increase because the Acre River tends to
keep flooding and information is still coming from rural areas,"
said Armin Braun, head of Civil Defense's Risk Management.
The Acre River's waters are now about 17.4 meters above the usual
level. The year of 1997 witnessed the worst flood in the state,
with the Acre River's waters about 17.6 meters above the usual
level.
The federal government and the state have provided support to the
flood victims, with the Air Force sending two helicopters and two
planes to help with transportation, and 70 national forces being
shipped to the state to help with the relief work.