2011 brazil floods

1. A country’s most devastating natural disaster in a century. 2011 brazil floods

2. Rio de Janeiro

3. Location of Flooding

4. Natural Disaster • More rainfall than the expected monthly amount • Worst natural disaster since 1900 • Many rivers flooded from the mass rainfall

5. Flooding Facts • 24 hours between January 11-12 of 2011 • 6,000 people lost homes • 806 confirmed dead

6. What went wrong? • A periodic cooling of the eastern Pacific, La Niña, is affecting the weather around the world. • Catastrophic rains have become more frequent in Brazil (and elsewhere) • Part of the problem is the rapid growth of the mountain region, now home to 600,000 people. • More deaths in the favelas because the homes are flimsier, most lack foundations, and are located in steep areas known to be at high risk of mudslides

7. Towns Affected • Nova Friburgo • Teresópolis • Petrópolis • Sumidouro, São José do Vale do Rio Preto and Areal • Preto and Piabanha Rivers • 40 miles North of Rio

8. Mudslides • 8,000 people have had to abandon their houses for the fear of future mudslides to their area • Many people still missing

9. Rescue operations • 700 soldiers sent to help in the Serrana area, north of Rio de Janeiro. • Rescue operations are being done by ground and air

10. Rescue continued • Tents are being flown to the area to house some of the 13,400 people who have lost or abandoned their homes in the disaster. • 8,000 food baskets have been deployed

11. Government action • President DilmaRousseff said “we are going to take firm action” • Sergio Cabral, governor of Rio de Janerio: “We have to rebuild road access, restore food, in this process of taking care of the survivors. This is our first step.”

12. Disaster prevention and the Government • The federal government budgeted 442m reais ($263m) for disaster prevention last year • But only 139m reais was actually spent. • Less than 1% of money for preventive works in a big federal investment plan was used in Rio de Janeiro state last year

13. Slow reaction to Floods • "There is a culture in Brazil of waiting for something to happen and then responding to it," agency head Humberto Vianna was quoted as saying by the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper.

14. Housing in High Risk Areas • The government allowed people to build homes in areas known to become dangerously unstable in the rainy season. • People built houses on steeply sloping areas and right next to rivers

15. New Prevention Plan • National System for Prevention and Early Warning of Natural Disasters • The Brazilian government has said it will set up an early warning system to alert communities of impending danger. • New radar system • National Prevention Center to be coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology • Cost around $288 million • 4 years to operate

16. Brazil Rebuilding • The state government/local construction companies donating a reported 2,000 houses to mudslide victims • Luiz Fernando Pezao (vice-governor)

17. Health Concerns • Health officials fear outbreak of diseases • Large amounts of contaminated water throughout affected area puts citizens at risk

18. Health Concerns Cont. • Leptospirosis is most feared disease. • Outbreaks of hepatitis A and typhoid fever are also feared.

19. Health Concerns Cont. • Leptospirosis is easily treatable but can result in death without proper medical attention. • Hepatitis A and Typhoid fever are also treatable but can become problematic without medical attention.

20. Impact on Rio • Rio has lost its most reliable resource of fruit and vegetables because farms are buried by mud and rock. • This sent the prices rocketing

21. Criticism of Government • Complaints that the authorities have been too slow to bring supplies of water, food and medicines. • Brazil has the scientific know-how for preventing and managing floods, but the government failed to harness it adequately

22. Criticism of Government • The officials were not dropping off food or water, only rescuing injured people • The rescuers are not efficiently helping to find survivors or the bodies of loved ones

23. Comparison to Australia December 2010 43 towns, 3,500 people and 1,400 properties affected. 17 people reported dead Officials developed early-warning systems and evacuation guides Better drainage infrastructure and better quality housing

24. Citizens’ Reaction • Volunteering • Helping with the sites where the mudslides happened • distribution of donations • coordination of the aid to be able to shelter all the people left homeless

25. Discussion Questions • Do you think that income inequality within the region affected by the flooding was a factor in government response? • Do you think that because this is a new administration it affected the way rescue operations and disaster prevention was handled? • How do you think the Brazilian government’s response compares to the U.S. government’s response to the Katrina disaster in New Orleans?

26. Sources • BBC News Online • Google Images • CBC News Online • International Disaster Database • Brasil.gov.br • CNN News Online