The morning of this Thursday (7), Independence Day, will be a new beginning for the people of Monte Cristo in Florianopolis. They are working to clear the land of debris – a legacy of the collapse of the Kazan reservoir the day before.

There are 170 displaced persons whose houses were destroyed due to water pressure. Until Thursday morning, another 280 affected families had not contacted the company for help with food or shelter, according to the company.

Landscape of Monte Cristo in the morning the day after the reservoir burst – Photo: Valeska Loureiro/ND

Several vehicles drive along Luis Carlos Prestes Street and its environs, trying to make out the rubble. The remains of furniture and buildings do not allow you to see the color of the asphalt on the street. Only earth and debris are visible.

Casan collects information about losses to prepare a preliminary budget and determine reimbursement. The company has pledged to pay victims the minimum wage (starting this Thursday) and advance compensation by the 11th.

Giovanna Ribeiro Borges and her husband, carpenter Felipe Ribeiro Borges, clean up the rubble of the house they live in with their four children. The help of family members was very important. The family lives behind the reservoir, on Via Prof. Marieta Barbosa Ribeiro, which has suffered the most.

According to Nathan Monteiro, Kazan’s administrative director and responsible for reception, family registration was under way until Wednesday night. Of the 170 displaced persons, 83 decided to settle in Kazan. The rest are at a relative’s house.

what is already known

What were the circumstances of the incident?

The rupture occurred at the second hour of this Wednesday (2) in Luis Carlos Prestes Street, in the Monte Cristo area, in the continental region of Florianopolis. The structure holds about 8 million liters of water.

There are two reservoirs on the territory: the first, older, survived. The broken structure was the most recent and has been in operation since March 2022 – it worked for less than two years.

What is already known about the cause?

The circumstances of the breakthrough of the water tank have not yet been clarified. Residents in the region have reported several stains to the concrete as well as cracks to the company in recent months.

At the same time Kazan undertook to inspect all of the remaining 475 concrete tanks (of the same material as the water tank) that are to be analyzed.

Civil engineer Rafael Eliseu Beltran de Azevedo, in an interview with Grupo ND, expressed several hypotheses about the incident. He believes that problems arose in the project or even in the construction of the reservoir.

How many people were hurt?

By this Wednesday night (6), 170 people had been displaced. According to Kazan himself, 280 families applied for help. There are no dead.

Will the victims be compensated?

Casan pledged to pay the victims minimum wage and advance compensation to Monte Cristo residents whose homes and property were destroyed in the collapse, company president Edson Moritz said in an interview with NDTV.

Salaries should start to be paid this Thursday (7). Compensation should be in the account by next Monday (11).

The company has also set up a service point on site with two tents and supplies clothes, shoes, hygiene products and about 250 meals in Paroquia do Sapa.

Has the design already been tested?

ABOUT NA+ it also contacted Aresc (Santa Catarina’s Public Services Regulatory Agency), the government agency responsible for inspecting structures of this type, to check whether the agency had already conducted a design review. However, the report did not receive a response before closing.

There is no analysis regarding the Monte Cristo reservoir in the reports available on the Aresc website from 2022, when the structure was discovered.

What will be done now?

The TCE/SC (Santa Catarina Accounts Office) has begun collecting information and images to assess causes and effects. Florianopolis City Council will ask Kazan for clarification.

The Economic Commission of the Legislative Assembly approved this Wednesday (6) a request from the Board’s Vice President, MP Matheus Cadorin (Novo) to invite Casan CEO Edson Moritz to provide clarification on the rupture of the state reservoir in Florianopolis, early Wednesday morning.

*According to Jornal ND reporter Valeska Loureiro.