MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

State of emergency because of floods in Manaus, where England plays Italy

Manaus spokesperson Jacira Oliveira said the 180-day emergency is 'preventive'

Brazilian World Cup host city Manaus has declared a state of emergency as the waters of an Amazon River tributary swell, although officials say they do not expect it to flood.

 Manaus city hall spokeswoman Jacira Oliveira said the 180-day state of emergency that came into effect on Tuesday is a preventive measure to assure swift access to emergency resources if the Rio Negro unexpectedly spills into the city.

Ms Oliveira assured fans that even if there are floods, they will not damage the Arena Amazonia stadium which will host four games, including England's opening match against Italy on June 14, and USA v Portugal on June 22.

Manaus mayor Arthur Virgilio Neto said the city needs federal government support so that the displaced families because of the rising waters can take shelter until the river returns to its normal level for this time of the year.

Neto said the decision to declare an emergency was agreed following meetings with Civil Defense and geologists who indicated that the level of the Amazon tributary, Rio Negro is expected to climb another 30 centimeters, until July and is expected to flood several neighborhoods of the city.

However the mayor said that the flooding will not affect the matches to be played at the newly built Amazon Arena since a network of pedestrian bridges and pathways has been built to ensure mobility if flooding does become a problem.