Rio Grande do Sul Historic Flood Relief Fund

Hello, my name is Thaisa Martins and I am from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, currently living in Charleston, South Carolina.

For those unaware, the southern most state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, is currently suffering a disaster of catastrophic proportions. For the last week, record levels of rainfall have pillaged the entire region which has caused the surrounding rivers to swell far above the levels that the infrastructure can support. My hometown of Campo Bom is currently experiencing the worst flood in its history and my heart aches for those there.

In some places, rivers have reached depths up to 30 meters. Entire neighbourhoods have been submerged, dams have burst flooding towns, and bridges have collapsed leaving many without electricity, food, and means of survival.

There are currently close to 50 recorded deaths, with close to 100 people more missing, and there are reports of up to 500,000 people currently without access to power or clean water. Many people have resorted to abandoning their submerged homes and belongings in search of higher ground and are subjected to living in makeshift tarp tents while they await rescue.

Hundreds of thousands of animals, both domesticated and those that live in the streets, are now in deathly danger.

I am starting this Go Fund Me to try and raise funds to help those without drinkable water or access to food. A portion of the funds raised will also go to organisations within Brazil whose aim is to rescue and rehabilitate pets that were left behind by their owners.

If you've made it this far within the post, thank you so much. Many Americans may not be aware of the situation and I hope to at the very least, provide a bit of information as to what is happening.

If you find yourself in a position to donate, any amount helps greatly. The strength of the American Dollar compared to the Brazilian Real carries so much weight, that our goal of $1,000USD would help ease the suffering of many people and animals. If you are unable to donate, I'd still like to thank you for reading this far and taking your time to make yourself aware of the current state of affairs.

I've attached a link to a New York Times from earlier that delves into the subject more if you have interest:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/world/americas/brazil-rain-floods.html

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.