Rain is expected to continue throughout the week.

Kátia Azevedo, from Jornal do Dia - The rains that have fallen throughout the state since last weekend are expected to continue throughout the week, according to a forecast from the Meteorology Center of the State Secretariat for the Environment and Water Resources (Semarh).

According to the coordinator of the Meteorology Center of Semarh, Overland Amaral, the accumulated rainfall in the regions up to yesterday morning was within expectations. On the coast, 60 mm of rain fell since Saturday; in the Agreste region, 50 mm; and in the semi-arid region, 10 mm. "Throughout the state, the rains should continue in the next five days in the same patterns, without intensity, but being very frequent," observes the meteorologist.

Analyzing the climate in the Sertão region, Overland Amaral points out that the rains have brought significant improvement to the environmental situation in the municipalities affected by the long drought, improving agricultural planting conditions, but water storage is still not sufficient.

Regarding wind speed, the meteorologist reported that it does not present any risk of accidents. Yesterday, wind speeds reached 24 km/h, considered normal by meteorologists. However, Overland Amaral does not rule out that this speed could change depending on the weather conditions in the coming days, as well as the possibility of flooding in urban areas.

Early in the morning, city sanitation workers in Aracaju were removing accumulated trash from storm drains. Several sections of João Ribeiro Avenue were flooded due to the accumulation of garbage along the road. Another problem was the lack of shelter at bus stops. On João Ribeiro Avenue, many people sought shelter from the rain in commercial establishments.

Civil Defense - Due to the recent rains, the Municipal Civil Defense has been on alert since last Saturday, monitoring potential risks due to the large volume of water in areas considered more susceptible to landslides. According to the coordinator of the agency, Colonel Reginaldo Moura, there were no reports during the weekend or in the early hours of yesterday.

"We are working in high-risk areas, talking to residents, but for now the situation is under control," noted Reginaldo Moura. On João Ribeiro Avenue and Simão Sobral Avenue, in the Santo Antônio neighborhood, many bus users sought shelter in commercial establishments to stay out of the rain until their bus arrived. In these locations, some bus stops lack shelter.

The areas with the highest risk of landslides are slopes and higher regions. In Aracaju, the most prone areas for landslides are in the neighborhoods of Cidade Nova, Jetimana, Olaria, Jardim Centenário, Porto Dantas, Soledade, Industrial, América, Santo Antônio, Jabotiana, Santa Maria, Manuel Preto, Coqueiral, and Cirurgia.

Photo: Ascom/Semarh