Mother removes three children from home after collapse in Arraial do Cabo: 'Everything is falling apart and I'm trying to save my children'

Vanessa dos Santos Aragão experienced moments of panic on Saturday night (7) after the wall of her house collapsed during the heavy rains that hit Arraial do Cabo, in the Lakes Region of Rio.

The municipality was one of the five with the highest volume of rain recorded in the state of Rio this Saturday, according to firefighters.

Vanessa was at the property, on Travessa Anchova, in the Sítio neighborhood, with her three children, aged 1, 4 and 7. She managed to get the children out and ended up hurting herself while saving her children. According to her, it was a moment of great anguish.

"It was horrible, you know? Everything falling apart and I was trying to save my children, but the important thing is that I managed to get them out", he highlighted.

In a video recorded shortly after the collapse, she shows the damage and says, emotionally:

"Guys, I lost everything. Guys, I lost everything. I managed to save my children. Guys, I saved my children. I'm all hurt (...)".

In addition to the damage to the house, Vanessa lost materials she used to work. She is sheltering at her mother's house.

Civil Defense and the Fire Department were at the scene. In a statement, Civil Defense said the area was isolated and the family received first aid, being advised to look for a safe place, such as a relative's house.

Civil Defense also sent an engineer to carry out a technical assessment of the structure.

"A team from CRAS, from the Department of Social Development, was with the family providing assistance from a social worker and psychologist. Nutritional assistance was also provided to the family members," said the City Hall.

Arraial do Cabo was one of the five cities with the highest volume of rain in the state this Saturday, according to the Fire Department.

The highest rainfall accumulated in the last 24 hours, all above 40 millimeters, were recorded in:

Angra dos Reis (79.8 mm)

Tanguá (75.0 mm)

Rio de Janeiro (73.6 mm)

Arraial do Cabo (70.0 mm)

São José do Vale do Rio Preto (61.4 mm)

São João da Barra (60.8 mm)

Teresópolis (60.3 mm)

Rio Claro (59.6 mm)

Saquarema (58.8 mm)

Maricá (56.6 mm)