While rescue teams continue to search for at least 200 missing people in Petrópolis, which has recorded more than 130 deaths since the landslides and floods last Tuesday (14), experts are trying to understand the reasons that gave such a dimension to the tragedy.
However, for the national secretary of Civil Defense and Protection, Colonel Alexandre Lucas, the disaster will need specific studies to understand what happened, since the volume of rain was “far above normal”, analyzed the colonel at the time. CNN this Saturday (19).
“We have an important geological issue. The relief of the city favors this type of landslide, but we have rain that is far above normal and that has caused deaths and damage, including in the area that is not at risk, in the center of the city,” he said.
“It seems to me, with climate change and with rainfall at this level happening repeatedly, that we will always have a greater possibility of disasters. It is necessary to carry out an analysis and see what was different from the point of view of the threat that this rain was, and what was the problem of exposing people to the alerts… a detailed analysis, because this disaster is complex”, declared Colonel Lucas .
According to the secretary, the city of Petrópolis followed all recommended protocols for forecasting heavy rains, which had been previously identified.
However, the rapidity with which the high volume of water fell made several parts of the city dangerous for people who, guided by sirens, “left their houses and went down to the lower area”. On the other hand, one of the most affected regions, Morro do Macaco, did not have an alarm system because the risk assessed at the site was not the greatest in all of Petrópolis.
“According to the specialists, Morro do Macaco had risk grades 2 and 3, and there were no sirens for these places. The siren is placed in very high risk locations. Even if people had descended, they could be reached because they would have to occupy a place in the lower part, which was also affected”, said Alexandre Lucas.
“This disaster needs to be studied. The academy and specialists need to look into it so that we can see what action should be taken. There is no way to remove Petrópolis from where it is or remove all the people from where they live, we need a solution”, he evaluated.
Source: CNN Brasil
