Public Story
Floods
I faced roads with numerous dangerous points and finally arrived at the North Dam in José Boiteux, an area belonging to the Laklãnõ Xokleng indigenous people. I was impressed to be in front of a dam up close for the first time and found myself surrounded by a population that was observing it with attention and concern, questioning what could or could still happen, but without receiving clear answers.
In this uncertain environment, some people even approached me because I was "the person with the camera" looking for predictions about the future. However, like everyone else, I could only respond in the same way: "I don't know."
As I headed towards Rio do Sul, where the city center had surprisingly transformed into a submerged island, the GPS advised me to change the route and pass through Lontras. I assumed it was due to some problem on the road and followed the instructions, which led me to another impactful experience. There, I spoke to small business owners who were visibly sad and helpless. Even after a brief break in the rain on Tuesday, they had tried hard to clean everything, with the hope of being able to resume their activities, but it was all in vain, as by Friday, everything was once again submerged in water.
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