Brazil Replenishes Gas Supplies

Brazil’s government will replenish gas supplies in southern states hit by floods and landslides that killed at least 99 people and destroyed part of a gas pipeline.

Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao said today the government is sending hundreds of trucks with natural gas to the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, according to the official government news agency.

Landslides caused by record rainfall damaged an extension of the Brazil-Bolivia gas pipeline that links Sao Paulo to the southern portion of the country, cutting off gas supplies to several towns beginning Nov. 22. Companhia de Gas de Santa Catarina said Nov. 25 it will take 21 days to repair a broken stretch of the duct.

At least 33,000 homes and businesses have no electricity in Santa Catarina, according to the state’s official Web site. Electricity company Centrais Eletricas de Santa Catarina SA expects to restore power supplies to 95 percent of the affected buildings by Nov. 30.

Santa Catarina Governor Luiz Henrique declared 12 towns as disaster zones. About 1.5 million people have been affected by the floods. The death toll includes seven children under the age of 10, while 19 people are missing and 78,707 have had to leave their homes. Ilhota and Blumenau are the worst-hit towns, with 29 and 22 deaths respectively.

The federal government yesterday pledged 2.77 billion reais ($1.2 billion) in aid and has sent troops, helicopters and food supplies to victims. It also reinforced policing to help prevent looting at flooded supermarkets and stores.

Police arrested 23 people in the town of Itajai today for looting at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Maxi store, BandNews television said. The channel showed images of people carrying boxes of goods through flooded streets. Wal-Mart’s Brazilian unit said yesterday it closed two of its nine stores in the state because of the floods.

Blumenau, one of the worst-affected states, has had more than 878.4 millimeters (34.6 inches) of rain this month, a fivefold increase from the previous November record of 167.2 millimeters set in 2006, according to Santa Catarina’s Center of Information for Environment and Hydrometeorology. The Agriculture Ministry said in an e-mail that it expects rainfall to subside in some areas over the coming days.

Author: Jo Amey