{"id":52656,"date":"2019-04-10T13:22:15","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T16:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=52656"},"modified":"2020-08-07T14:03:05","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T17:03:05","slug":"rio-rains-wreak-havoc-in-favelas-city-counts-at-least-10-dead-voicesfromsocialmedia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=52656","title":{"rendered":"Rio Rains Wreak Havoc in Favelas, City Counts at Least 10 Dead #VoicesFromSocialMedia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Por<\/strong>tugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/a><\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

This article is part of RioOnWatch\u2019s\u00a0#VoicesFromSocialMedia<\/a> series, which compiles perspectives posted on social media by favela residents and activists about events and societal themes that arise.<\/em><\/p>\n

Torrential rains and flash floods have rocked Rio de Janeiro, taking a heavy toll on the city at large, including its favelas. The downpour on the evening of Monday, April 8 continued overnight and into Tuesday evening, killing at least ten<\/a> and leaving several others missing.<\/p>\n

Amid landslides, fallen trees, and crumbling roads, Mayor Marcelo Crivella declared a state of emergency on Monday evening, closing schools and advising residents to avoid leaving their homes. As rain sirens sounded throughout the city, many favela residents found themselves in danger. This week\u2019s catastrophic rainfall, the strongest recorded in Rio in 22 years<\/a>, marks the second in just over two months, as landslides in early February<\/a> left seven dead. Rio’s City Council recently launched a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on Flooding<\/a> to improve public accountability for disaster prevention and response. Crivella, who told journalists on Tuesday morning that such levels of rainfall are \u201catypical<\/a>,” blamed the city\u2019s lack of preparation on previous administrations.<\/p>\n

Local and international media were quick to point out, however, that Rio has seen a steep decline in public spending on flood control systems since Crivella assumed office. Indeed, the Municipal Conservation Secretariat (SECONSERVA) authorized no new spending<\/a> between January and April of this year.<\/p>\n

\n

Globo breaks down spending by Rio city hall on urban drainage (by year in which works were carried out).<\/p>\n

2016 – Paes – R$55.3mn
2017 – Crivella – R$33.5mn
2018 – Crivella – R$24.4mn
2019 – Crivella – R$0https:\/\/t.co\/NBisBtRXh9<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/qX0qiQkYLD<\/a><\/p>\n

— David Biller (@DLBiller) April 9, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n