Minas Gerais releases over US$100mn to repair rain-hit infrastructure

The government of Brazilian southeast state of Minas Gerais is releasing 600mn reais (US$108mn) to repair infrastructure and support families affected by heavy rains that hit the state this month. 

The state investments are divided into three areas: assistance for people, support for cities, and repair of state infrastructure, the Minas Gerais government said in a release.

Since the beginning of the storms, nearly 600 stretches of roadway have been affected. 

Meanwhile, state-run development bank BDMG will provide a special credit line worth 50mn reais to finance infrastructure for public services, to be used for road paving, water supply systems, sewage treatment, urban drainage, machinery and equipment and renovations of municipal public buildings. 

The bank will offer up to 84 months for municipal governments or public companies pay their debts in addition to a grace period of 12 months. 

The heavy rains have also impacted mining activity across the state, resulting in temporary stoppages in mining production by major companies, including Vale and CSN Mineração. In recent days, the rains have become lighter and allowed the firms to gradually resume their operations.