Amanda Perobelli & Leonardo Benassatto

ITABUNA (Reuters) – Two dams collapsed in Bahia, northeast Brazil, after heavy rainfalls that had lasted for weeks. The flooding caused by the rains had already swollen rivers and affected towns.

The Igua dam was located on the Verruga River near Vitoria Da Conquista, southern Bahia. It collapsed Saturday night. This forced authorities to evacuate residents, mostly in Itambe.

On Sunday, the second dam was demolished, leading to higher water levels 100 km to the north in Jussiape. Residents were urged to evacuate to better ground.

Although no injuries or deaths were reported from the dam collapses, roads and bridges were severely damaged.

Fire brigade units rescued people trapped at their homes, Reuters journalists reported. They were further away from the coast, in Itabuna (a city with 200,000 inhabitants).

Luiz Constantcia, a shopkeeper, said to Reuters that it was crazy at the bridge because there are waves about 2 meters tall.

In order to rescue families and take supplies or reach them, rescuers used dinghies to row down flooded streets. To reach his home, one man paddled on an inflatable bed.

Residents claim that the Cachoeira river, running through Ilheus at 30kms was its highest point in 50 years.

Vitoria da Conquista Mayor Sheila Lemos stated that all people living near the Igua dam collapse had been evacuated.

Lemos posted on the website of the city that flooding was imminent, warning about the danger to the BR-116 highway. This is a key truck route connecting northern and southern Brazil.

Rui Castro of Bahia stated that approximately 400,000 people had been affected by heavy rains, and thousands were evacuated from 67 municipalities facing emergencies due to flooding for close to two months.

According to him, “Thousands have been evacuated because water levels rose up one or two metres in certain places and even three meters elsewhere.”

Civil defense officials stated that 18 people have died in Bahia from the rains since November’s beginning, including one 60-year old ferry operator who drowned in the rising Rio das Contas.

Weather officials in Salvador said that December’s rainfall was six times more than average.