Photo courtesy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sao Paulo May 12, 2024

São Paulo, May 11 (CNA) Taiwan’s government donated US$50,000 to Brazil on Friday to help the country cope with the devastating floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul which started in late April.

Shortly after the worst floods since 1941 hit the southern state on April 29, Fong Kuang-jong (馮光中), the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Sao Paulo, conveyed concerns on behalf of Taiwan’s government to the state government.

On Friday, Fong and office staff also visited the affected city Caxias do Sul where he made the US$50,000 donation.

The donation was received by Gustavo Paim, a state government official, on behalf of Eduardo Leite, the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, during a ceremony witnessed by 80 people from various sectors of Brazil.

Fong said that the overseas Taiwanese community in Brazil has delivered various essential supplies and charitable funds they collected to the disaster areas and that he believed victims in Rio Grande do Sul can return to normal life as soon as possible with assistance from the Brazilian central and local governments and all walks of life in the country.

At the event, Paim said he was very grateful to the Taiwanese government for providing immediate assistance in times of crisis.

In addition, Guilherme Pasin, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul, emphasized that the people of the state will not forget the assistance provided by Taiwan’s government to Brazil.

Also, Gelson Leonardo Rech, the president at Universidade de Caxias do Sul, indicated Taiwan provided disease prevention supplies to the city of Caxias do Sul during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that this time it has again shown a humanitarian spirit that Brazil can learn from.

According to the Caxias do Sul City Government, Taiwan is the first country in Asia where the government and private sector have jointly assisted flood-ravaged Brazil.

At present, Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal, and other countries are also providing material assistance, it added.

The floods have wreaked havoc across 441 out of 497 municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, critically damaging infrastructure, including roads and bridges, and causing the partial collapse of a dam at a hydroelectric plant.

The death toll from the natural disaster has reached 126, and at least 141 others are still missing, according to media reports, citing information from the state’s civil defense authority.

Around 300,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the floods in the state, according to reports citing data from the National Confederation of Municipalities.