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Brazil: Floods - Jul 2015

Status
Past
Countries
Brazil
Disaster types
Flood

On 14 July 2015 Rio Grande Do Sul Civil Defence declared an emergency at the municipal level, reporting floods in several cities. The Uruguay River’s water levels reached 13.57 meters, whose average levels are barely five or six meters. This is the result of intense rainfall in the region which caused the overflowing of the Gravataí and Arrollo Sapucaya Du So rivers and floods that affected homes, roads and shops in these three States.

Currently 184 cities have been flooded in the States of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande Do Sul, with more than 109,740 people are affected, of which 5,122 are in collective centres , with host families or elsewhere. The most affected cities include Esteio, Frederico Westphalen, Cachoeira do Sul, Riozinho Rolante, Chapecó, Xanxerê and Maravilha. (IFRC, 31 Jul 2015)

By the end of October the Brazilian Red Cross has reached 337 families through health promotion activities, including talks to the community on the prevention of leptospirosis, meningitis C, respiratory illnesses, and first aid. Since the beginning of the emergency, the National Society s worked on issues relating to psychosocial support for 47 sheltered families. To date, 373 food kits have been distributed in Cachoerinha do Sul and Gravataí, and distribution will continue . The procurement and distribution of 500 hygiene kits were completed, and 373 families have received hygiene kits in both municipalities. The rest of the kits will be distributed in the upcoming week. The 500 kitchen kits have been procured and will be distributed in the upcoming week. The procurement of 2,500 blankets has been completed, and # 339 families have received blankets to date. Additionally, 270 mattresses were distributed to the families that did not receive them from the local authorities.

On 1 October 2015, the state of Rio Grande do Sul, through Supreme Decree No. 52.591, issued a new declaration of emergency in 34 municipalities, including the municipalities of Cachoeira do Sul and Gravataí, where the DREF operation is taking place. (IFRC, 29 Oct 2015)