Alert note: Floodings in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

NOAH Friends of the Earth has submitted an alert note due to floodings in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

In the south of Brazil, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Areas that have barely been rebuilt after last years flooding and are now hit again in greater scale. Intense, high-volume rainfall, which reached more than 700 mm in some places, hit almost every municipality in the state from April 27 onwards, causing unprecedented flooding. The accumulated rainfall between April 22 and Monday 6 equaled the entire average rainfall forecast for five months influenced by El Niño. Millions of people have been affected in various ways.There were severe landslides, destruction of roads and highways and other key infrastructure as well as agricultural lands and animals. More than 538.000 people have been displaced from their homes and are now climate refugees, 700 are injured and at least 147 people have died. This number is expected to rise as there are still destroyed areas where bodies are being found under rubble. The material damage is in the billions. Rebuilding cities, economies and lives will take a long time. Rio Grande do Sul was hit hard by floodings in September 2023, and many areas had not yet been rebuilt and were even more vulnerable to face another bigger flooding as the current.

More than 70% of the capital of Porto Alegre's population of 2 million is without electricity and water with difficulties in communicating and supplying basic survival items. Drinking water has been a daily dilemma for the entire population, and is in short supply on the shelves of many supermarkets. Regions and municipalities in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul remain isolated, unable to receive help. Many families have no news of each other. The urgent emergency and protection needs are rescues, providing food, water and clothing as well as establishing WASH facilities to secure hygiene and furthermore funds to help the homeless and displaced, setting up shelters.