Due to the heavy rains that hit the state of Minas Gerais in recent weeks, a small dam overflowed in the municipality of Porteirinha, in the interior of the state. This Sunday (1st), the Fire Department, Civil Defense and Social Assistance carried out the evacuation of families from the city, prioritizing those in the most vulnerable situations.
The Janaúba Fire Brigade squad was called to respond to flooding in the villages of Lajes, Cocos, Rio Pequeno and Barreiro, all belonging to Porteirinha.
The dam, used to capture water, is small and covers approximately 11 hectares. According to inspections, the structure shows signs of infiltration.
With the high volume of , the system overflowed, resulting in the flooding of homes and leaving community residents stranded.
Lieutenant Paulo Henrique, from the Fire Department, explained that There was no dam failure. According to him, due to the large amount of precipitation, mainly at the headwaters and in the tributaries, the structure overflowed and affected the region.
The lieutenant also stated that the situation is now returning to normal and that the level of the dam has decreased. According to him, there are no more people stranded, those who were in the most critical area were removed from their homes and taken to safe locations.
Captain Franklin Xavier, also from the Fire Department, explains the most up-to-date situation of the dam in a video provided to the CNN Brazil:
The informed that it will be necessary to wait for the water level to reduce to accurately assess the structural conditions of the dam.
The city of Porteirinha released an official note, also this Sunday (1st), about the possibility of the dam breaking and asked the population to remain calm and pay attention. “Pay attention to official guidelines and, if you are in a risk area, look for a safe place immediately”, pointed out the municipal administration.
In Mato Verde, a city close to Porteirinha, the Municipal Brigade helped in the evacuation of around 25 families, who were sent to temporary accommodation at CEMEI Eliene Alves da Silva, where they received the necessary support.
Another city in the region, Espinosa, also received support from the Janaúba Fire Department, after some properties were flooded.
