A hero mayor leapt into action during a flash flood and roped in a group of stranded citizens.
The area was overwhelmed by a two-hour downpour that caused a local river to burst its banks.
As a result, a small rural town was flooded and hundreds of its 1,000 inhabitants were left homeless.
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José Bráulio Aleixo, mayor of the town of Dom Silvério located north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the hero of the day when he rescued several residents.
He heard about a family stranded in their home just around the corner from his own house so he fetched his trusted rope and waded through waist-high water.
A video shows the 55-year-old hurling the rope towards the house on Tuesday (7 January).
Alongside other residents, he helps the family members evacuate their homes by using the rope as a makeshift handrail.
After his heroic actions, Bráulio explained that four people were stranded in the house during the flash flood.
Two people were able to evacuate on their own, but a bedridden woman and her elderly partner needed extra help.
He said: “The water had reached the level of the woman’s bed.
“But after that, they were rescued and are both fine.
The town has been rocked, and a lot of people are devastated.
“Bridges collapsed, entire streets flooded, cars swept away.
“A real tragedy.”
He also said that he would hold an emergency meeting with council officials to “take all appropriate measures in this chaotic moment”.
The overflowing river caused a bridge to collapse while two others were closed due to heavy damage.
Numerous shops and homes were destroyed in the town centre while the President Tancredo Neves State School also suffered severe flood damage.
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the flood.
The council estimates that around 400 people have been affected, as reported by What’s The Jam.
The following day, the mayor stated: “Essential services, such as water and electricity, have already been restored.
“Today we will open a temporary passage through the rural area that will provide access to the isolated community.”
“The damage was extensive, many houses were damaged.
“We are helping people, cleaning up their properties and city areas.”
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