Fake news about a dam break spread by the military led to panic in a flooded city in Brazil

False news about a dam breaking on the river has panicked residents of Canoas, a town of 348,000 in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, which has already been partially inundated by the worst floods in its history since earlier this month. caused some of them to flee in despair unnecessarily.

False news about the dam breaking and the imminent avalanche of water, which will lead to increased flooding, was spread by soldiers of the 14th motorized rifle brigade of the army, stationed for humanitarian actions in the city.

Early Sunday evening, soldiers began canvassing several areas of Canoas, one of the towns hardest hit by the worst climate tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul’s history, which has already killed at least 169 people and left 650,000 homeless in 469. . municipalities, and they ordered the immediate eviction of residents, mainly in the area of ​​Matias Velho, where almost all the streets are already flooded and which, according to the military, will be affected by so much water from the dam that it would cover everything.

People who, despite the flooded streets and flood waters on the ground floors, decided in recent days to return to their homes and stay on the upper floors, even to avoid becoming targets of the robberies that occur in all the affected cities. , they fled the same way it happened, in complete horror and trying to at least save their lives.

The panic that had gripped several areas only began to subside when municipal authorities also began sending teams to travel through these regions and refute warnings issued by the army, as well as using social media to try to reassure the population.

But many residents had already fled and, not knowing who to believe, chose to return to temporary shelters or sleep in cars in drier areas or in the homes of relatives and friends.

This Monday, the army issued an official apology to residents who were victims of fake news spread by its military and announced that it had eliminated those responsible for what it classified as a serious procedural error, issuing a warning about the tragedy to this day. continues, without first confirming whether the dam has actually failed.

An investigation will be launched within the army as well as the police as rumors began to circulate this Monday that the military’s actions may not have been simply a procedural error or indiscretion, but rather a clearly articulated, deliberate act by forces associated with the military. the extreme right, very strong in the region, to incite panic among the population for political purposes.