Rio Grande do Sul is experiencing one of the most painful moments in its history, with millions of people affected by the flooding generated by heavy rainfall in the past week. The Brazilian government has declared a state of calamity in the area, where 83 deaths have been reported while 100 people are missing as a result of the devastating natural disaster.
Sports activities, of course, have also been directly affected, leading to the suspension of all events that were scheduled to take place. Grêmio and Internacional were set to play both in the Brasileirão and in continental competitions, and although some of their matches were to be played away, the rains prevented them from even using their training centers.
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In Porto Alegre, the rise of the Guaíba river exceeded five meters over the weekend, leaving shocking images even at the home of the Gaúcho Tricolor. The playing field at Arena do Grêmio was completely flooded, just like the surroundings of the Beira-Rio Stadium (home of Internacional).
Assim se encontram, lamentavelmente, a Arena do Grêmio e o Beira-Rio.
(📸 Epa Images, @MaxPeixoto91) pic.twitter.com/vq0H7GzuZm
— O Canto das Torcidas (@OCantoOficial) May 6, 2024
Grêmio’s stadium initially housed neighbors affected by the floods, but on Friday, it was evacuated after being considered a vulnerable point by the authorities. Unfortunately, the stadium was later invaded and looted, with the club’s official store being robbed.
Given this complex scenario, players such as Diego Costa and Enner Valencia also mobilized to receive donations and collaborate in the region’s recovery.
Unfortunately, the outlook is not encouraging for the coming days: Brazil’s National Meteorological Institute (INMET) issued a red storm alert on Monday (6), recognized as a “serious danger.”
“The total volume of rainfall could exceed 100 millimeters (mm) in 24 hours, with winds exceeding 100 km/h and hail,” INMET reported.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the first four episodes available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
