-

Overview of the situation

Flash floods and severe landslides killed at least 95 people in Rio de
Janeiro’s hillside slums (favelas) after heavy rainstorms, according to
authorities in Brazil.

Between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon nearly nine inches of rain
fell on Rio de Janeiro in less than 24 hours, authorities said.

The mayor, Eduardo Paes, urged slum residents in areas at risk to
abandon their hillside homes and told others to stay indoors until the
storms had passed.

From The Guardian, Wed 7 April, 2010

Issues for travelers

Travelling in Favelas:
Travellers these days are increasingly looking for authenctic local experiences and many travel to the favela slums when visiting Rio de Janeiro. ?We blogged about Travelling safely in Rio’s favelas in the SafetyHub blog a while back but now, with this recent landslide disaster, there are further safety issues to take into consideration (see section below)

Clean Water:
Widespread flooding often also contaminates clean water supplies – when the sewers fill up, everything just flows out. ?

Frequent hand washing helps keep germs at bay. (If a traveler
becomes unwell within six weeks of returning home and has fever, rash,
respiratory illness or any other unusual symptoms, advise a physician
of having just returned from a disaster-affected region.)

Drink only bottled, boiled or disinfected water. For more
information refer to the CDC website.

Getting out:
Follow all advice from either your medical assistance service
and/or local emergency service team and authorities to move to safe
zones or transport to take you to the airport for evacuation.

Avoiding landslides and mudslides


  • If you are in
    an area prone to landslides and mudslides (i.e.
    very steep slopes,? canyons, high rainfall zones) be aware of any
    sudden increase or decrease in water level on a stream or creek that
    might indicate debris flow upstream. A trickle of flowing mud may
    precede a larger flow.
  • Look for tilted trees, telephone poles,
    fences,
    or walls, and for new holes or bare spots on hillsides.?
  • Listen
    for
    rumbling sounds that might indicate an approaching landslide or mudflow

More
info is available on Landslides on the CDC website.

The
WorldNomads SafetyHub Blog
has detailed survival tips information for travellers caught up in this
or other natural disasters here.?

Advice
for World Nomads Policy Holders

What is
happening to me and who do I call?

  • It is important to
    remember that the situation you are in can be extremely stressful.
  • Keeping an item of comfort nearby, such as a family
    photo, favorite music, or religious material, can often offer comfort in
    such situations.
  • Call home and your country’s Consulate
    or Embassy to let them know where you are, if you are alright and if
    you need any assistance.
  • Call the emergency assistance
    hotlines     should you
    need immediate attention (phone numbers below for WorldNomad’s
    policy holders).


When you get out of there or get back
home

If
you become unwell within 6 weeks of returning with fever, rash,
respiratory illness or any other unusual symptoms seek medical
attention and tell them that you were recently in a Disaster affected
region.

Emergency Assistance numbers for WorldNomads
policy holders

Please have your name, location and phone number
ready when you call (and policy number if available)

Australian
and New Zealand travellers (Specialty Assist for policies purchased on
or after 01 Dec 2009):
Email: operations@specialty-assist.com
Telephone:
+44 (0)20 7902 7405

Australian and New Zealand travellers
(Mondial Assistance Australia policies purchased prior to Dec 1, 2009):
Email:?
medicalnotes@mondial-assistance.com.au
Telephone: +61 7 3305 7499
(While overseas, reverse charges)
Telephone: 1300 729 467 (Within
Australia)
Telephone: 0800 630 117 (Within New Zealand)
?
UK
travellers (Specialty Assistance Services):
Email:?
assistance@specialty-group.com?OR assistance@mstream.co.uk
Telephone:
+44 (0) 845 643 2628
?
Irish travellers (Specialty Assistance
Services):
Email:? assistance@mstream.co.uk
Telephone: +44
(0)20 7902 7403
?
USA travellers (Access America):
Email:?
AssistanceGroup@MondialUSA.com
Telephone: +1-877-257-8108 (toll free
within US)
Telephone: +1-804-281-5789 (Collect)

Canadian
travellers (Mondial Assistance Canada):
Email:?
nomad.inquiries@mondial-assistance.ca
Telephone: +1-866-759-2892
toll-free from the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island or
Telephone:
+1-519-342-4947 collect from anywhere else in the world

For
all other travellers (ihi Bupa):
Email:? emergency@ihi.com
Telephone:
+45 33 15 33 00 (not toll free))



Read more from WorldNomads.com to help keep you
travelling safely. WorldNomads.com
– an essential part of every adventurous traveller’s journey.

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