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Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms
Brazil’s Porto Alegre — Meteorologist Estael Sias knew the water would eventually drain into the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, and that she would need to locate a safe place as significant floods overtook entire communities in the northern portion of the state last week.
Thus, she abandoned everything with her spouse, their two dogs, and their three kids. Her neighborhood in Canoas, which is currently among the worst devastated cities in the state, began to fill with water less than a day later.
“My home was submerged,” Sias remembered, her voice quivering. “And forcing my family to leave my house was incredibly difficult.” She stated she could defend those close to her, but not those who insisted on remaining where they were. It has been and continues to be quite upsetting. I’m not sure what will happen when I get back home.
AP – VOR News Image
Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms
While rescuers in southern Brazil raced on Wednesday to bring survivors of the catastrophic flooding that has claimed the lives of at least 100 people, some locals refused to part with their possessions, and others went back to their evacuated houses despite the possibility of more storms.
Since last week, 130 individuals have gone missing in Rio Grande do Sul due to heavy rainfall and flooding, according to authorities. The floodwaters have cut off a large portion of the area, and more than 230,000 people have been forced to flee.
Seem storms were predicted for the state on Wednesday evening, with gusts of wind up to 60 km/h (37 mph) and hail likely, according to the afternoon advisory from the National Meteorological Institute. Additionally, the institute predicts that this weekend will bring more rain due to a cold front that will be especially strong in the state’s east and north.
About 300 people were taking refuge at the neighborhood club Gremio Nautico Uniao in Porto Alegre, located in the affluent, minimally damaged area of Moinhos de Vento. As volunteers brought boxes full of feijoada, a traditional Brazilian stew made with beans and meat, dozens of people lay on mats.
AP – VOR News Image
Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms
Heitor da Silva was one of them, having followed the advice of the authorities. He is still concerned about the future.
“I simply brought my paperwork, my flip-flops, two pairs of underwear, and three clothes. “Everything else is gone,” remarked da Silva, 68. “Even though I didn’t have much, it remained there. There won’t be anything when I get home. What happens next?
One of the hardest-hit cities by the floods, Eldorado do Sul, has people that officials from the state’s civil defense agency told The Associated Press have been difficult to convince to leave their houses. It is situated close to the middle of the state’s coastline, next to Porto Alegre. Four people at least said no to leaving.
A military helicopter flying above Eldorado do Sul observed hundreds of dwellings flooded, with just their roofs showing. Locals get around on small boards, surfboards, and personal watercraft. Mayor Ernani de Freitas informed local media that the city “will be totally evacuated.”
“Recovery will take at least a year,” he declared.
Governor Eduardo Leite of Rio Grande do Sul held a press conference late Tuesday to urge people to avoid the area because the predicted downpour could result in more severe floods throughout the state.
“Now is not the moment to go back home,” he declared.
The potential of disease transmission was also emphasized in the civil defense agency’s urgent warning to displaced residents not to return to flooded areas.
One of the rescue coordinators, Army Gen. Marcelo Zucco, told the AP that his team is operating at maximum capacity ahead of the torrential downpours expected to reach the Porto Alegre region this weekend. The city was seeing moderate rain on Wednesday afternoon.
“There’s no way to be sure there won’t be trouble ahead of us, but we hope the next rains are not like those we saw,” Zucco remarked.
Our current priorities are completing the rescue efforts and providing the populace with logistical support. That entails delivering food, drink, medicine, and medical transportation for the ill,” the general continued.
He said that his soldiers had now reached several regions by land thanks to some improvement in the day’s weather.
In portions of Uruguay, unusually strong rains have also flooded areas, causing rivers to overflow in the east of the nation and forcing almost 1,000 people to flee, according to authorities. Rescuers said they had evacuated 200 stranded individuals with the army’s assistance. Although the emergency agency said that flash floods had destroyed over a dozen roads and left thousands of residents without power, there were no immediate reports of injuries.
AP – VOR News Image
Southern Brazil Is Still Reeling From Massive Flooding As It Faces Risk From New Storms
Sias, the Rio Grande do Sul meteorologist who works for a forecasting service based there, said that rain in the northern part of the state over the weekend could cause rivers that are already causing widespread flooding around the Patos lagoon, where the Porto Alegre municipal region is located, to swell again.
“We’re going to stay on this alert level until the end of the month,” she declared.
A survey by the National Confederation of Municipalities estimates that damages in over 80% of Rio Grande do Sul’s municipalities are worth 4.6 billion reais ($930 million).
According to Governor Leite, the massive damage will necessitate a rehabilitation plan similar to that of Europe after World War II. The state has already requested that the federal government halt debt payments and establish a fund specifically for the southern region.
Congress overrode a spending cap on Tuesday by enacting an order that declared a state of calamity in Rio Grande do Sul till the end of the year. This allowed the federal government to immediately begin allocating funds to lessen the damage and restore areas damaged by the floods. Both government opponents and supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva came together over the vote.
“Public spending to address the crisis that is currently destroying the state of Rio Grande do Sul has no boundaries,” Planning and Budget Minister Simone Tebet stated in an interview with Radio Gaucha.
SOURCE – (AP)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.
Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”
The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”
Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.
Lawless protestors run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest.
The Prime Minister dances.
This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.
Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved. pic.twitter.com/PVJvR6gtmf
— Don Stewart (@donstewartmp) November 23, 2024
“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”
“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.
On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”
Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.
Pro-Palestinian protests
Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.
Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.
Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.
On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.
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The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.
The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.
The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.
“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”
According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.
Calgary Zoo Questioned
It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.
An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.
Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.
“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.
The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.
“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.
“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.
While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”
Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.
The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.
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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.
Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.
The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.
While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.
Lotto Max History
Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.
The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.
Let’s have a look at the rules:
- Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
- Numbers cannot be repeated
- Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
- Each play buys 3 lines
- Each play costs $5
Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)
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