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Will rebuild Espirito Santo: Rousseff
December 25, 2013, 7:37 am

Renato Casagrande, the governor of the state of Espirito Santo has declared a state of emergency while rescue and relief operations are being carried out by the Civil Protection Department [Brazil Gov]

Renato Casagrande, the governor of the state of Espirito Santo has declared a state of emergency while rescue and relief operations are being carried out by the Civil Protection Department [Brazil.gov]

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has held an emergency meeting after taking stock of the flood situation in Espirito Santo flying over the worst hit cities of the south eastern state.

“The tragedy of Espirito Santo destroyed houses, roads and dreams. Let us try to reconstruct the three,” she urged even as she said her administration’s first priority would be to release all the resources needed to rescue people.

“Today, the federal government has pledged R $ 608 million reais to the state of Espirito Santo and municipalities to cope with the disaster,” said Rousseff.

The President vowed to “rebuild the cities and municipalities flooded – rebuild roads, hospitals, schools, housing”.

Nearly 50000 people have been evacuated from their homes as incessant torrential downpours resulted in heavy flooding in two of Brazil’s south eastern states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo.

The floods are said to have been the worst in over 90 years killing over 30 people.

Renato Casagrande, the governor of the state of Espirito Santo has declared a state of emergency while rescue and relief operations are being carried out by the Civil Protection Department.

“We will also carry out structural works necessary for prevention: dams, slope protection, urban drainage before a rainy season so that a tragedy like this does not occur again,” Rousseff tweeted on Tuesday.

Many people are still feared to be trapped in landslides and the death toll is expected to rise according to local media reports.

TBP