2011-02-22
AMDA Emergency Bulletin #3:Floods and landslides in Brazil

The torrential rain on 12th January 2011 in the state of Rio de Janeiro resulted in the worst natural disaster in Brazil. On 18th Jan., AMDA sent a relief team from its headquarters in Japan which included a nurse/coordinator and a Brazilian worker for Soja City, a Japanese municipality well known for the large number of Brazilian residents.

Arriving in Rio de Janeiro on 20th Jan., the team visited Teresopolis and Nova Friburgo where the damage was most severe, and observed the damage caused by destructive flash floods. Most of the victims were killed instantaneously, leaving few seriously injured. Medical services were provided by the subsidiary of the Health Ministry and the local Red Cross.

As the team came to learn that emergency relief by foreign organizations was no longer in need, AMDA decided to donate daily commodity rather than to send medical staff. The team was advised by the Brazilian Red Cross that the poor children with milk allergy would be saved by soy milk which is hard to find and expensive. The team bought 250 cans of dry soy milk and, in cooperation with the Brazilian Red Cross, delivered them to the suffering families in Nova Friburgo on 12th Feb.

On 10th Feb., AMDA also handed donations from its supporters to the Japanese-Brazilian Association of Nova Friburgo to be provided to Japanese-Brazilian families who lost houses and farmlands. The team completed its mission and came back to Japan by 15th Feb.

According to a report by a Brazilian medium Agencia Brazil on 16th Feb., the number of deaths has risen to 902. Registered deaths in Nova Friburgo and Teresopolis have reached 426 and 379 respectively.

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