Residents of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, in Paraná, and surrounding towns, have formed a network of volunteers to help those displaced after the hurricane that devastated the city last Friday (7).
At any given moment, it is possible to see hundreds of people – including teenagers and even children – on the streets, visiting homes to deliver food and water. Some also take turns at the city parish, one of the few properties not damaged, to sort through donated clothing, which arrives all the time.
According to the city council, more than 1,000 people left their homes. Amid the general disaster scenario, a communal kitchen has been set up, where meals are prepared to feed the needy and those working to clean and rebuild the property. Entities associated with the Catholic and Evangelical churches are also providing assistance.
Crea-PR (Regional Council of Engineering and Agriculture of Paraná) opened online registration to register volunteer engineers who will carry out technical inspection work on properties, and in a short time there were already 200 registrations. On Sunday afternoon (9), 20 professionals analyzed the city map to go to the field.
According to the head of Crea-PR, Klodomir Askari, it is necessary to think about logistics, as there is no way to attract everyone interested in volunteering. The city has no structure to accommodate professionals, and in Laranjeiras do Sul, the nearest municipality, hotels are full. Some engineers reside in more distant cities, such as Cascavelle and Pato Branco.
PRC-158 Highway, which is the main entrance to the municipality, recorded congestion with people wanting to receive donations on Saturday (8) and Sunday.
The State Highway Police issued a statement saying that the high volume of vehicles was hampering the progress of humanitarian work and asked drivers to avoid unnecessary travel and seek alternative routes whenever possible.
“Those who wish to obtain supplies and useful materials must concentrate them at the headquarters of the military firefighters’ barracks or the military police detachment of their municipality, and the security forces will transport them to Río Bonito do Iguaçu,” the company informed in a memo.
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