Margarida Salomão, the mayor of Juiz de Fora in Brazil, described Monday, February 23, as the saddest day of her government due to catastrophic flooding that claimed at least 16 lives and left 45 individuals missing. In her interview with GloboNews, she emphasized the scale of the tragedy and the emotional toll it has taken on her leadership.

Salomão reassured citizens that her administration is working closely with state security forces and the local Civil Defense to manage the crisis. She detailed how neighborhoods such as Três Moinhos and Furtado had many homes evacuated, with displaced residents being accommodated in public facilities like schools. The mayor stated that immediate efforts are focused on finding the missing individuals, prioritizing their safety and wellbeing during this dire situation.

She also touched on the necessity of restoring infrastructure to regain normalcy in the community, highlighting a pressing need for physical repairs and improvements as recovery begins. The unprecedented rainfall this February has been noted as historically severe, emphasizing the urgent challenges facing the city and its residents in the wake of such disasters.