Brazil flooding forces plan for ‘tent cities’ to house the displaced

Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, plans to establish at least four “tent cities” to accommodate approximately 8,000 people displaced by historic floods. Since the end of April, heavy rains have caused record flooding, resulting in at least 151 deaths and over 100 missing individuals. Around half a million people have been displaced, with over 77,000 currently in public shelters.

The state government, led by Vice-Governor Gabriel Souza, is organizing temporary structures with individual bedrooms and shared facilities to house those in makeshift shelters. These facilities are necessary as many public buildings being used as shelters need to return to their normal functions, and volunteers need to resume their routines. Locations identified for these structures include Porto Alegre, Canoas, Sao Leopoldo, and potentially Guaiba.

Approximately 15% of the 50,000 people in shelters in these cities will require long-term accommodation in the tent cities, while the majority are expected to return home or stay with relatives. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has donated 108 modular temporary housing units to support the displaced population.

Source – CGTN