Federal Government Completes Evaluation, Approval of 235 Work Plans for Flood Recovery in RS

By Wednesday (15), the Federal Government’s Ministry of Integration and Regional Development (Ministério da Integração e Desenvolvimento Regional/MIDR) had evaluated and approved 235 work plans for restoring and rebuilding areas affected by heavy rains and flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. As a result, BRL 186.6 million are being transferred by the Brazilian Government for Civil Defense actions. Another 94 work plans are being evaluated, adding up to an additional BRL 131.4 million in reconstruction projects requested by municipalities.

On Wednesday, the Federal Government announced new and effective measures to help the state population and to support reconstruction. In São Leopoldo (RS), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the payment of BRL 5,100 to each homeless family and another series of measures for people who have lost their homes. This includes moving forward Bolsa Família program payments to low-income families.

Assistance for families left homeless by the floods includes help with finding and buying used homes and public calls for owners interested in selling their properties. The government is also planning to acquire unoccupied properties that may be in the process of being auctioned off by federal banks Caixa Econômica Federal and Banco do Brasil.

The government also plans to acquire new properties from construction companies, even if they are still unfinished; including construction projects submitted, but not yet approved, in 2023 to the Minha Casa, Minha Vida low-income housing construction program.

Also on Wednesday, the Health Ministry coordinated the delivery of 603,000 personal hygiene items donated to the flood victims in the state. A total of 423,000 sanitary pads, 61,800 wet towel packets, 116,000 children’s diapers and 3,000 geriatric diapers were delivered, benefitting more than 20,000 people.

According to data released Wednesday (15) by Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul, 452 municipalities have been hit by heavy floods, 76,500 people are in shelters, 538,000 have been displaced. More than 2.14 million people have been affected in total. Over the last 24 hours, no new deaths have been recorded, keeping the death toll at 149. In addition, 806 are reported injured and 108, missing. The number of rescued people rose to 76,500; 11,400 animals have been rescued.

Find out more about the Federal Government's work in Rio Grande do Sul

IMPORTING RICE – The Federal Government has established parameters for emergency rice imports rice by the National Supply Company (Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento/Conab). Following an ordinance signed by the ministries of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture (Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário e Agricultura Familiar/MDA), Agriculture and Livestock (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária/Mapa) and Finance (Ministério da Fazenda), the first acquisition, of up to 104,034 tons of the cereal in the first auction, is scheduled for Tuesday (21/5). For this purchase, BRL 416.1 million has been earmarked and another BRL 100 million for market price equalization. In total, Conab was authorized to import up to one million tons of rice through public auctions over the course of 2024, based on Provisional Measure No. 1,217/2024. The goal is to avoid rice price gouging and to stabilize market prices nationally.

REBUILDING AID — All the families directly affected by the climate catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul will receive a BRL 5,100 federal transfer to replace equipment and other goods lost to heavy rains. The official announcement was made on Wednesday at an event attended by President Lula in São Leopoldo. An estimated 240,000 families will benefit from an investment of BRL 1.2 billion. A Provisional Measure will set out the criteria for establishing financial support to families.

FREE GAS IN SOLIDARITY KITCHENS —  A total of 197 community kitchens providing daily meals to the flood-stricken residents of Rio Grande do Sul will receive free gas for 90 days. This announcement came out of a Planalto Palace meeting between the president of the National Union of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors (Sindicato Nacional das Empresas Distribuidoras de Gás Liquefeito de Petróleo/Sindigás), Sérgio Bandeira de Mello, and ministers Márcio Macêdo (General Secretariat/Secretaria-Geral) and Alexandre Silveira (Mines and Energy/Minas e Energia), as well as the president of the National Supply Company, Edegar Pretto. At least 9,000 gas cylinders are expected to be delivered over this period for meal preparation at community kitchens all over the state.

HOUSING FORM — The Ministry of Cities (Ministério das Cidades) has prepared an online survey for municipal governments to list their needs resulting from the floods. The document will serve as a starting point for the Federal Government's planning aimed at restructuring the municipalities. Municipal managers will be able to inform initial housing demand estimates, including the number of properties destroyed (totally or partially) in urban and rural areas, the average monthly income of the families directly affected, and other relevant information.

FEDERAL CO-FINANCING — A streamlined, bureaucracy-free federal program offers assistance for municipal acquisition of materials needed to assist the flood-stricken population: mattresses, blankets, drinking water, soap, detergent, cooking utensils and even shelter construction materials. The cash transfer goes directly to the municipality within 72 hours of the request: BRL 20,000 for every 50 people living in shelters people. By Wednesday evening (15/5), 48 of the 446 municipalities affected by the floods had requested the funds. A total of BRL 11.3 million has been approved to assist around 40,000 people. To request the emergency funds, the municipal manager must send a simplified written request to the following email address: emergencianosuas@mds.gov.br. Supporting documentation must be sent within 90 days after receiving the funds. Call WhatsApp at (61) 99321.0068 for any questions.

EXPORTS FROM ABROAD — The Ministry of Ports and Airports (Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos) and the Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) have partnered to streamline the transit of donations from abroad by air and water. Last week, the Ministry of Ports and Airports authorized emergency measures to allow air travel service to resume to the RS countryside. The Federal Revenue Service has created the "Fast Track Revenue" initiative, which makes it easier to send donations from abroad in calamity situations.

SUPPLIES AND RESCUES — The Navy has transported over 390 tons of donations and 130,000 liters of water to Rio Grande do Sul, where it deployed 2,000 military personnel, nine naval vessels, 50 boats, 11 helicopters and 70 vehicles. With the assistance of a drone, the Army managed to locate a group of residents from Canoas (RS) who were asking for help from the roof of a building late on Tuesday afternoon (14). That rescue team saved seven people and two pets. As well as flying emergency supply airdrop missions, Air Force helicopters have carried out more than 60 medevac operations and thousands of rescues.

General Secretariat (SG)

The Social Participation Forum is being established in Porto Alegre, providing a permanent channel for dialogue with social movements and addressing their demands. A coordination of social movements has been set up, accompanied by the SG. An extraordinary meeting of the Interministerial Committee for the Socially Productive Inclusion of Waste Pickers (Comitê Interministerial de Inclusão Socioprodutiva dos Catadores e Catadoras/CIISC) was held to address immediate needs and plan structuring actions.

Secretariat for Institutional Relations

Emergency rescue amendment totaling BRL 1.33 billion for municipalities in a state of calamity in Rio Grande do Sul
a) BRL 647.7 million payment authorized / BRL 620.1 million were paid (97.3%)
b) Special Transfers to RS (BRL 464 million available for municipalities to accept) / 465 (99%) of the 469 municipalities indicated have already confirmed their acceptance, totaling BRL 451 million (97% of the total available).

National Secretariat for Social Assistance (Secretaria Nacional de Assistência Social/SNAS/MDS)

SNAS has 17 technicians on site in the State, with the aim of guiding municipalities in applying for, using and accounting for federal co-financing, managing shelters and registering homeless and displaced families and individuals. 74 municipalities have already applied for co-financing (for the maintenance of temporary accommodation), implying a total of BRL 32.29 million in transfers.

Ministry of Mines and Energy

Rio Grande do Sul distributors have restored power to 10,000 customers over the last 24 hours, despite the fact that many roads are still blocked or obstructed. More than 300,000 customers have been reconnected—but 257,000 customers are still without power, mostly due to safety issues or impeded access. The municipality of Boqueirão do Leão still has 100% of its customers disconnected.

Petrobras SA

The company had supplied 1,033,000 liters of drinking water to shelters and Civil Defense by May 14. As of Tuesday, it had also supplied 2,387 liters of gasoline and 265 liters of diesel for rescue and humanitarian assistance in the municipalities of Esteio and Canoas.

Federal Highway Police (Polícia Rodoviária Federal/PRF)

By 4 pm on Wednesday (15), 12,113 people had been rescued (1,893) or assisted (10,220) by the teams in operation. 159 animals were rescued. The PRF is continuing its rescue work, unblocking highways and transporting supplies to the population. The PRF is escorting trucks carrying donations from various parts of the country.

Brazilian Cooperation Agency (Agência Brasileira de Cooperação – ABC/MRE)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in coordination with the MDS and ABC/MRE, has committed to donating to Rio Grande do Sul 100 "modular small houses" (from UNHCR Colombia) and emergency items (from UNHCR Panama), including 3,600 blankets, lamps, 200 kits for community kitchens and hygiene kits, including feminine hygiene. ABC/MRE has coordinated with the Federal Revenue Service to expedite the emergency customs clearance of these donations, which are expected to arrive in Florianópolis (SC), via the Latam airline, on dates to be announced. The Holy See also announced a financial donation of 100,000 euros for churches in Rio Grande do Sul to help the affected population.

Ministry of Ports and Airports

Two Azul Airlines flights with donations arrived in Canoas, bringing the total of donations transported by air to 235.9 tons (19 flights).