Recent heavy rains in Barretos, São Paulo, have led to significant disruptions in the rural areas, isolating around 20 families from their communities. The local Civil Defense reported that 149 millimeters of rain fell over the weekend, resulting in the destruction of a key road connecting the neighborhoods of Contendas and Lagoinha. This unprecedented rainfall has caused large craters to form on the roadway, making it impassable even for tractors.

Engineer Marcos Aurélio dos Santos highlighted the dire situation, noting that one old bridge has already been swept away by the floodwaters, while another recently constructed bridge is at risk. Video footage shared by Santos shows the damage to the Anhumas stream and the washed-out bridge parapet. Current conditions have rendered the sole access road to these rural neighborhoods highly compromised, trapping families inside for several days and limiting their access to necessary supplies and services.

The isolation of these communities has raised concerns about the potential humanitarian impact, especially given the ongoing challenges that rural areas face during flooding events. With a distance of 23 kilometers separating these neighborhoods from the urban center of Barretos, and 15 kilometers comprised of dirt roads, the recovery efforts will need to prioritize restoring access and assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the recent storms.