Business owners face uncertainty after tornado devastation in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu (PR)

Sitting in a wheelchair in a small supermarket he had owned for over 20 years in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Paraná, the merchant Elio Valim de Almeida, 62, was the picture of uncertainty about what life will be like ahead. This Monday (10), with teary eyes, he said that the dream of two decades was destroyed in a matter of seconds, after the tornado that devastated the city , on Friday (7).

Six people died in Paraná . On Monday, the government of Rio Grande do Sul also confirmed another death, that of a 21-year-old man in São José dos Ausentes, following the severe storms that hit the south of the country.

The house where Elio lived was located above the commercial building. Everything was lost, including his personal documents. He is temporarily staying at a friend's house in a rural settlement.

"I don't have the mental capacity to think; it was my livelihood. My life was buying and selling, receiving and paying," says the merchant. Two months ago, due to health complications, he had to have his right leg amputated and has been using a wheelchair.

In the small town, it's still common for many people to buy things on credit and pay in 30 days. Elio says he has money to collect from customers, but practically everyone who owes him money now needs help because they also lost everything in the tornado. The goods he managed to salvage are on a truck borrowed from a friend.

On the next block, Eliandro Felan, owner of a convenience store, also doesn't know what the future holds. The roof of his establishment was ripped off by the wind, the facade flew away, and the air conditioner fell on a customer who was there and had to be taken to the hospital.

"Now, in fact, it's all going to be from scratch. We'll see how it goes, how the aid will come, and see how things turn out," he says.

Roseli Pereira de Souza owns a bakery and says that they were working when the tornado hit the city. The wind destroyed the establishment, but the five employees and customers who were there were not injured.

"We haven't stopped to think about what the future holds. First, we're assessing the damage, seeing what can be salvaged." She doesn't know how to estimate the losses, but says the destruction was total.

Retired nursing technician Glaci Tereza Merlak, 63, was at home with her husband, Vilmar, when the tornado began. They were discussing the possibility of a storm when they were surprised by the strong wind.

The husband tried to hold onto a glass door, which shattered and threw him against a refrigerator, dragging him several meters. Injured, she sought help from neighbors. "We tried to open the door to call for help, but there was no one to help, because everyone was in the same situation," she recounts.

Retired Tereza Bittu, 88, says a stove saved her life. The wall of her house collapsed towards her, but a stove that was in a higher part of the house served as protection.

Rescued by a neighbor, with the support of police officers, she was taken to a hospital in Laranjeiras. The black eye and marks on her body show the impact of objects against her.

"I think I escaped thanks to God's grace," she says. The retired woman is staying at her daughter's house in Laranjeiras do Sul and, this Monday, returned to Rio Bonito do Iguaçu. What little remains of her house will have to be demolished.

Residents and volunteers took advantage of the sunny Monday to remove debris and clean the city. Gradually, electricity and telephone service are beginning to be restored. The biggest concern is that rain is forecast for Wednesday (12), which could make the work more difficult.