2023 Rio Grande do Sul floods
| Cause | Heavy rains |
|---|---|
| Meteorological history | |
| Duration | September 2023 |
| Flood | |
| Maximum rainfall | 291 mm (11.5 in) in Passo Fundo |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 47 |
| Injuries | 940 |
| Missing | 46 |
| Areas affected | Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
In September 2023, heavy rainfall and strong winds from an extratropical cyclone resulted in the deaths of at least 47 people in Rio Grande do Sul state of Brazil, 940 injured, and caused $1.3 million in damage.[1][2] Flooding also impacted several municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, including Bento Gonçalves, Caxias do Sul, Ibiraiaras, Lajeado do Bugre, Nova Bassano, Santo Expedito do Sul, and São Jorge.[3] The floods also prompted a state of emergency to be declared in the state by governor Eduardo Leite.[4]
Background
The flooding was caused by the warming atmosphere resulting from climate change, which increases the likelihood of extreme rainfall. Global temperatures have risen by approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius since the onset of the industrial era.[5]
In 2022, torrential rain led to landslides and mudflows near the city of Recife in the country's northeast, resulting in the deaths of at least 100 people.[6] That same year, floods in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro, killed 231 people and caused 1 billion R$ ($193.8 million USD) in damage.[7] In February 2023, flooding and landslides in Brazil's São Paulo state killed 40 people as 627 millimetres (24.7 in) of rain fell in São Sebastião.[8]
Impact
Within a span of 72 hours, over 200mm (11 inches) of rainfall deluged the state from an extratropical cyclone,[9] resulting in floods and landslides.[3] The heaviest rainfall in the 72-hour period was in Passo Fundo, receiving 291 millimetres (11.5 in).[3] Officials reported that thousands of individuals were compelled to evacuate their residences. In Muçum, local media sources indicated that hundreds were rescued from their rooftops as 85% of the town became inundated and 16 deaths occurred.[6][9][1] The floods affected more than 354,711 people, with 940 injuries, 46 missing,[10] 25,855 of them displaced and an additional 3,800 homeless.[1][2][11][4]
Response
Rescue teams employed helicopters to access regions isolated by floodwaters.[6] The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, declared a state of emergency as he assessed damage across the state.[4]
References
- ^ a b c "Rains in southern Brazil: 47 dead and R$1.3 billion in damage". ContentEngine Noticias Financieras (English) (in Spanish): NA–NA. September 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Brazil: Floods - Sep 2023". ReliefWeb. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c Davies, Richard (September 5, 2023). "Brazil – Hundreds Displaced, 4 Dead After Storms and Floods in Rio Grande Do Sul". Floodlist. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- ^ a b c Davies, Richard (September 7, 2023). "Brazil – 37 Dead as Flood Situation Worsens in Rio Grande Do Sul". Floodlist. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ Tollefson, Jeff (August 18, 2023). "Earth's hottest month: these charts show what happened in July and what comes next". Nature. 620 (7975): 703–704. doi:10.1038/d41586-023-02552-2.
- ^ a b c "Brazilian state reels after its worst cyclone disaster". BBC News. 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ de Moura, Felipe (2022-02-28). "Petrópolis: Tragédia já tem 231 mortos; 5 ainda estão desaparecidos" [Petrópolis: Tragedy already has 231 dead; 5 are still missing]. Band Rio (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
- ^ "São Paulo: Dozens killed as deadly storms hit Brazilian coast". BBC News. February 20, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- ^ a b Yoon, John (September 6, 2023). "Flooding From Cyclone in Southern Brazil Kills at Least 37". New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ "Amid Devastation and Mud, Brazil Buries Victims of Cyclone". VOA. September 9, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ "Brazil cyclone death toll nears 40 as flooding swamps southern state of Rio Grande do Sul". CBS News. September 7, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.