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Brazilian President to Skip G-20 Summit Due to Floods

   VOA News 25 June 2010
   Marcia  Candido  Nascimento  sits on the debris of her destroyed house
   after  heavy  rains  caused  severe  floods  in Rio Largo, in Brazil's
   northeastern Alagoas state, 25 Jun 2010

Photo: AP

   Marcia  Candido  Nascimento  sits on the debris of her destroyed house
   after  heavy  rains  caused  severe  floods  in Rio Largo, in Brazil's
   northeastern Alagoas state, 25 Jun 2010

   Brazilian  President  Luiz  Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled plans to
   attend  a  major  international economic summit, after flooding in his
   country left at least 51 people dead and 120,000 others homeless.
   A  government  spokesman said Friday that President da Silva chose not
   to  attend the Group of 20 summit of world leaders in Toronto, Canada,
   Saturday and Sunday because he feels he needs to stay close to home to
   follow relief operations.
   The  Brazilian leader and other government officials Thursday traveled
   to  the  northeastern states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, hit hardest by
   recent heavy rains and flooding, to assess the situation. Â
   While  the  death  toll has risen, civil defense officials said Friday
   the number of people missing has been scaled back from several hundred
   to 76.
   Government  officials announced Thursday that the affected states will
   each receive millions of dollars in emergency funds.
   Rescuers  continue to work to reach communities isolated by mud, water
   and debris, but the effort is hampered by floodwaters that have washed
   away  bridges  and  cut  roads.  Officials  say  the  floods destroyed
   thousands of homes.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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