The South Florida community is jumping in to help thousands of people in Brazil flee from flooding, and now families and organizations are doing everything they can to collect donations to help. NBC6’s Lena Salzbank reports
The South Florida community is jumping in to help thousands of people in Brazil flee from flooding, and now families and organizations are doing everything they can to collect donations to help.
For the last two weeks, flooding has destroyed the southern part of Brazil. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the streets are looking more like rivers.
Officials say close to 150 people have died, more are missing, and more than half a million people are displaced from their homes.
Juan Rodriguez’s family is among them. His brother-in-law shared a video showing his family's street underwater.
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"One of our family members was stuck on the rooftop for two whole days, hoping that someone would find him, and thank God they did," Rodriguez said.
While his family lost everything, Rodriguez said he is blessed that they are still walking away with one another. He's urging the Florida community to help.
That’s why leaders with Global Empowerment Mission Latin America are on the ground helping to provide first aid.
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Luis Velasquez has been in Brazil with the organization for 11 days and is handing out water and food to families who are now without a home.
"There was no food in the last days, there was no electricity, no water, so people are suffering a lot," he said.
Meanwhile, the consulate general of Brazil in Miami said he is working with one of the main collection points in the U.S. to bring any and all donations to Brazil.
Click here to help Brazil through the Global Empowerment Mission.
