Brazilian bishops launch campaign to help flood victims

(January 18, 2011) Brazil's bishops launched a campaign to aid victims of severe flooding that has left more than 500 people dead. Record rainfall in southeastern Brazil caused rivers to overflow their banks and triggered landslides that buried houses. The flooding has affected more than 1 million people in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais. Churches opened their doors to shelter people left homeless by the flooding and receive the bodies of victims. The Brazilian bishops expressed their solidarity with the victims and called on Brazilian society to increase its donations to alleviate the pain and revive the hope of overcoming such an enormous tragedy.
Caritas officials said they were using donations initially to provide drinking water, hygiene materials, mattresses, blankets, food and medicine to victims. The bishops called for a special nationwide collection Jan. 30.
The massive flooding and landslides were the first major challenge for the new government of President Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's first female chief executive, who took office Jan. 1. Fatal landslides happen periodically on steep hills in Brazil, both in rural areas and in crowded cities where shantytowns fill ravines between wealthier neighborhoods. Rousseff blamed local governments for allowing people to build their homes in unsafe areas, while local officials said the national government had cut back disaster-prevention funds.