2022 Petrópolis floods
.jpg) overview of Petrópolis after the storm | |
| Date | February 15, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location | Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Deaths | 146 |
On February 15, 2022, a series of floods occurred in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that triggered mudslides and other damage. At least 146 people were killed in the disaster.[1][2]
Background
Petrópolis is a popular tourist city in Brazil, and as it expanded, its poorer residents built up on the nearby mountain sides. This led to poor deforestation and drainage in these areas of the city.[3] The local authorities of Petrópolis ordered a survey In 2017 and identified 15,240 houses with a high risk of being destroyed due to heavy rainfalls, about 18% of the city. However, the city was unable to act on this report.[3][4]
The National Natural Disaster Alert Monitoring Center (Cemaden) issued an alert on the magnitude of the storm two days before the floods in February 15. According to specialists, the warning should have prompted the authorities to mobilize to evacuate the residents.[5]
Event
On February 15, 2022, the city of Petrópolis received an unusually high amount of rain within three hours, 258 millimetres (10.2 in). This was more than the prior 30 days combined, and the worst the city had seen since 1932.[6][3] According to Cemaden, of the rain recorded during that day, 250 mm was recorded between 4:20pm and 7:20pm. The climatological normal for the month of February was 185 millimeters. It was the biggest storm in the history of Petrópolis, since measurements began in 1932. The previous record had occurred on August 20, 1952, when it rained 168.2 mm in 24 hours.[7]
The high level of precipitation caused flooding within the city as well as destabilized the mountainside, causing mudslides.[3] Videos of the disaster were widely shared on social media, showing cars and houses being dragged by landslides.[8][9] At least 136 people have died so far.[10] Surviving residents that had lived in high-risk areas were taken to local schools that had been converted to temporary shelters.[3]
Reactions
The City Hall of Petrópolis declared three days of mourning.[11]
Cláudio Castro, the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro compared the situation to that of a war zone: "The situation is almost like war ... Cars hanging from poles, cars overturned, lots of mud and water still".[6][11]
President Jair Bolsonaro, who was in a diplomatic trip to Russia and Hungary at the time of the flooding, expressed solidarity with the city.[3] It was later confirmed that Bolsonaro would visit Petrópolis on his return to Brazil.[12] The Brazilian federal government also announced that it would give R$2,3 million to the city.[13]
The Ministry of Health stated they would help the situation by providing medical resources. They also informed that 13 Basic Health Units (UBS) and one Emergency Care Unit (UPA) were damaged by the floods.[14]
See also
- Weather of 2022
- January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides
- Late December 2021 Bahia floods
- 2022 Brazil floods and landslides
References
- ^ "Total de mortos em Petrópolis sobe para 146". Agência Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-02-19. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ "Número de mortos em Petrópolis sobe para 146 e o de desaparecidos supera 190". R7.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-02-19. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ a b c d e f "Survivors dig for loved ones as Brazil flood death toll reaches 105". Associated Press. February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via The Guardian.
- ^ "Petrópolis sabia de 15 mil imóveis em risco na área da tragédia desde 2017" [Petrópolis knew that fifteen thousand properties were in risk in the area of the tragedy since 2017]. noticias.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-18.
- ^ Moreira, Matheus (2022-02-16). "Petrópolis deveria ter sido evacuada após alerta há 2 dias, diz especialista". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ a b Rodrigues, Diarlei; Biller, David (2022-02-16). "Brazil mudslides from torrential rains kill at least 44". AP NEWS. Associated Press. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Marcella Duarte (2022-02-17). UOL (ed.). "Petrópolis teve chuva de um mês em poucas horas". Retrieved 2022-02-18.
- ^ Real, Nayani (2022-02-16). "#Hashtag: Chuva em Petrópolis é associada à crise climática nas redes" [#Hashtag: Rains in Petrópolis is associated to the crisis climate in social media]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Carvalho, Bruna; Couto, Camille (2022-02-16). "Desastre provocado pelas fortes chuvas deixa 104 mortos em Petrópolis (RJ)" [Disaster caused by heavy rains leaves 94 dead in Petrópolis (RJ)]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-17.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Sobe para 117 o número de mortos em Petrópolis após temporalwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Gaier, Rodrigo Viga (2022-02-16). "Heavy rain causes at least 38 deaths in Brazilian city Petropolis". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Chuva em Petrópolis: Presidente irá à cidade na sexta, diz Flávio Bolsonaro" (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL. 2022-02-16. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Após chuvas, governo federal libera repasse de R$ 2,3 mi para Petrópolis". UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-18.
- ^ Cardim, Maria Eduarda (2022-02-17). "Queiroga viaja a Petrópolis e calcula danos em 13 unidades básicas de Saúde". Correio Braziliense (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-02-17.