The Paraná government announced a temporary R$ 1,000 aid for up to six months to families in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, devastated by a tornado on Friday (7). The benefit targets residents with income up to three minimum wages who lost housing. The measure is part of a new state program for natural disaster victims.
On Tuesday (11), the Paraná government unveiled plans to aid residents of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu in the center-south of the state, following a devastating tornado on Friday (7). The phenomenon destroyed at least 80% of houses and commercial establishments in the city, which has nearly 14,000 inhabitants. Six people died in Rio Bonito, where winds reached 330 km/h, according to the Simepar (Paraná Environmental Technology and Monitoring System).
The proposed aid is R$ 1,000 monthly, for up to six months, targeted at families with income up to three minimum wages who suffered total or partial loss of housing. According to Governor Ratinho Junior (PSD), payments will occur through a program yet to be created, focused on natural disaster victims across the state. "The idea is for payments to be made under a program that will still be created," the governor said.
The program will be coordinated by the State Secretariat for Social Development and Family, using state Civil Defense registrations. By Monday afternoon (10), 1,337 vulnerable families were already registered. In addition to the monthly benefit, the government plans to transfer funds for construction materials, with values up to R$ 50,000 per family, though exact criteria are not yet defined.
Rio Bonito do Iguaçu has an IDH (Human Development Index) of 0.629, ranking 384th among Paraná's 399 municipalities, per 2010 PNUD data. Severe storms hit the center-south of the state, recording three tornadoes around 6 p.m. on Friday in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Turvo, and Guarapuava. In rural Guarapuava, one man died. MST (Landless Rural Workers' Movement) settlements in the region also suffered damage to houses and crops.