Taiwan donates US$50,000 to flood-impacted Brazil

Universidade de Caxias do Sul president Gelson Leonardo Rech said Taiwan’s help shows a humanitarian spirit that Brazil can learn from

Taiwan’s government on Friday donated US$50,000 to Brazil to help the country cope with devastating floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul that began last last month.

Shortly after the worst floods since 1941 hit the southern state on April 29, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Sao Paulo Director Fong Kuangjong (馮光中) conveyed concerns on behalf of Taiwan to the state government.

On Friday Fong and office staff visited the affected city Caxias do Sul, where he made the US$50,000 donation.

The donation was received by Gustavo Paim, a state government official, on behalf of Rio Grande do Su Governor Eduardo Leitel, during a ceremony witnessed by 80 people from several sectors in Brazil.

Fong said the overseas Taiwanese community in Brazil has delivered essential supplies to the disaster areas and that he believed victims in Rio Grande do Sul could return to normal life as soon as possible with assistance from the Brazilian central and local governments and people from all walks of life in the country.

At the event, Paim said he was very grateful to the Taiwanese government for providing immediate assistance in times of crisis.

Rio Grande do Sul Legislative Assembly member Guilherme Pasin said that people in the state would not forget the assistance Taiwan provided to Brazil.

Universidade de Caxias do Sul president Gelson Leonardo Rech said that Taiwan provided disease prevention supplies to the city of Caxias do Sul during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that this time it has again shown a humanitarian spirit that Brazil can learn from.

The Caxias do Sul city government said that Taiwan is the first country in Asia where the government and private sector have jointly assisted flood-ravaged Brazil.

Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal and other countries are also providing material assistance, it added.

The floods have wreaked havoc across 441 of 497 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, critically damaging infrastructure, including roads and bridges, and causing the partial collapse of a dam at a hydroelectric plant.

The death toll has reached 126, and at least 141 others are still missing, data compiled by the state’s civil defense authority showed.

About 300,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the floods in the state, data from the Brazilian National Confederation of Municipalities showed.