Coordination meeting with agencies participating in the flood emergency response, Recife, Brazil, June 2022

My deployment in Brazil to respond to floods its consequences around Recife has been exhausting so far; both emotionally and physically.

The destruction that the rains have caused is enormous and cost nearly 130 lives. In addition, thousands of people are displaced as they needed to flee their destroyed houses.

Perhaps what is the most significant experience during this particular emergency is lack of response from the authorities. Despite a fact that the emergency has been ongoing for nearly 10 days now, the government's support to its own citizens is nowhere to be seen.

On the other hand, it is heart-warming to observe human solidarity. Hundreds of people, even if vulnerable themselves, rush to help their neighbours by hosting them, cooking for them or offering them basic hygiene materials to survive their personal tragedies and proving that humanity goes strong among common fellow-beings!