A bicyclist slogs through food waters following rains that displaced more than 400,000 in northern Brazil. Photo courtesy of Caritas Brazil

The northern Brazil town of Codó was recently inundated with torrential rains and severe flooding. Catholic Relief Services is providing at least 4,000 families with essential hygiene supplies.
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The flood waters in the city of Codó washed out entire homes and left more than 3,000 residents in this town homeless. Photo courtesy of Caritas Brazil

Fr. José Wasensteiner of the parish of Sao Raimundo, City of Codó, state of Maranhão, reports on flooding in and around his parish.

Flooded parts of northeast Brazil, especially in our city of Codó, are in chaos. While some of the water has receded, many streets are impassable and thousands of people are homeless. In Codó, about 3,206 people have been displaced. Of these, 58 families, almost 300 people, are housed in day-care centers and in the São Raimundo parish.

The floodwaters, propelled by two months of incessant rain, have submerged entire houses in communities near the Itapecuru river. The first flood occurred between the 21st and 24th of April, following heavy rain that began early in the month. The water rose very high and flooded houses in the Saint Antonio quarter of the city, but the situation was relatively controlled. But as the rain persisted the river overflowed its banks, causing severe flooding the nights of May 3 and 4.
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Richard Hoffman, Country Representative for Brazil, reports on recent flooding that sent tens of thousands fleeing their homes.

In less than a week, an equivalent of four months of heavy rain saturated eastern coastal and northern sections of the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. Rivers swelled above their banks and resulting mudslides caused several fatalities as well as damaging homes and property.

About 119 flood-related deaths have been reported. We have tallies of 45,000 people displaced from their homes, of which 28,000 have suffered a total loss of residence. Authorities calculate that one quarter of the state’s population was affected one way or the other by the severe flooding.
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