Elon Musk announced that SpaceX will donate 1,000 Starlink terminals to emergency responders after a deadly flood hit Rio Grande do Sul. He also said that all usage for Starlink terminals in the region will be free until it recovers. “I hope the best for the people of Brazil,” said Elon Musk in his X post.
Starlink terminals would undoubtedly help emergency responders communicate in this time of crisis and effectively help the people hit by the flood. Communication is key in times of crisis. According to CNN, the Brazilian flood death toll has reached 107 in Rio Grande do Sul since the heavy rain started falling last week.
Rio Grande do Sul’s state civil defense agency estimates that over 1.4 million people have been affected by the flood. At least 754 people have been injured and 164,000 people have been displaced. Unfortunately, some people have added to the catastrophe of the flood by committing crimes.
A minimum of 47 people have been arrested for looting and other crimes while emergency responders help victims of the flood. According to state media Agency Brasil, at least 6 people were arrested for alleged sexual abuse in shelters for victims whose homes were hit by the flood. The Brazilian Supreme Court ordered X to suspend or limit some accounts on the social media platform.
According to Musk, some of the accounts that X was ordered to suspend include sitting members of the Brazilian Parliament and journalists. Elon Musk responded by providing free Starlink usage to schools across Brazil.