Elderly woman leaves home after being isolated for around 24 hours in Santa Isabel

An 84-year-old woman left her home at around 3:30 pm this Friday (13), after spending around 24 hours in isolation in Santa Isabel. Laurentina was unable to leave the property because the ground at the entrance to the residence gave way during the rain on Thursday (12), washing away part of the sidewalk and making access to the place difficult.

To allow the elderly woman to leave the residence, the teams placed dirt in the hole that had formed at the entrance. Laurentina has mobility difficulties.

The case took place on Rua Floripes Martins Santos. The residence was closed by Civil Defense after the ground gave way. The elderly woman's son was also trapped in the property, but managed to get out through the back, using a ladder, on Friday morning.

Laurentina's daughter, Fátima Prado, criticized City Hall's delay in resolving the problem. According to her, the family had been asking for action since January, when they had already identified problems with the pipes that run through the entrance to the houses.

"It didn't cost anything for him (Mayor Chinchilla) to arrive and say: 'Look, I need your documentation'. We ran after the documentation, signed what we had to sign and handed it to them", said Fátima.

She also questioned the guidance received from Civil Defense on Thursday night (12). According to the daughter, an agent informed her that the elderly woman should go to the registry office the following morning to sign documents necessary to carry out the work.

"How am I going to make my mother climb an eight-step ladder, climb out the window and take her to the registry office for the documentation he required?", he asked.

Fátima also stated that the family handed over property documents to City Hall, such as the deed and tax copy, as well as personal documents.

TV Diário has been following the problem in the region since January this year. In February, Santa Isabel City Hall reported that it had purchased new pipes and would replace them after the rainy season.

According to residents, however, the material only arrived at the address on Monday (9), three days before the ground gave way.

This Friday morning, City Hall teams were at the site with an excavator to remove the accumulated earth and sediment. The work also involved preparing the area for piping replacement.

In an interview with TV Diário, Santa Isabel City Hall reported that teams spent the night responding to risk incidents, landslides and houses hit by water and mud. According to the administration, the rescues were supported by social assistance.

Asked why the repair was not done sooner, City Hall stated that there are internal procedures for demolition in private areas and classified the documentation for the removal of the house as "a little sensitive". The administration said the pipe will be replaced.

The City Hall explained that an old intervention by the municipality diverted the stream and installed pipes on the sidewalk. According to management, the houses are regular, but there have been expansions to this space. The administration highlighted that the elderly woman's house maintains a setback, although it is very close to the pipe.