Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rio de Janeiro (Agenzia Fides) – According to information send to Fides from the Archdiocese of Rio, the number of deaths due to the torrential rains in recent days has already risen above 600 and is so elevated that the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the region can no longer handle the situation. Thus it is taking steps to organise the dead bodies in refrigerated trucks for conservation pending identification. However it should be noted that many are already in a state of decomposition and may only be identified by DNA testing. The government has agreed that those in an advanced state of decomposition will be buried without identification, and after DNA tests identifying the victims, the families will be informed about where their relative was buried. Meanwhile, aid collection continues unabated: 50 tons of donations were collected by the Archdiocese of Rio, at the initiative of Archbishop Orani Tempesta, assisted by volunteers, seminarians, Caritas.... Dioceses and parishes continue to collect subsidies of every kind for flood victims. (AP) (17/1/2011 Agenzia Fides)
