The 2009 Brazilian floods and mudslides were a severe natural disaster principally affecting five northeastern states of Brazil. As a result of heavy rains,fourteen people were reported dead over a period of one month and at least 62,600 others had been left homeless as of 2 May 2009. Nineteen people were dead by 5 May 2009,with a significant increase in homeless people being reported,estimated at 186,000.[1] The death toll by 8 May was thirty-nine and 270,000 people were reported homeless.[2]
The state of Santa Catarina in the South of the country has also been damaged. A total of seven states have been affected across the country.[3]Maranhão was the worst affected state,with at least six deaths and at least 40,700 homeless people occupying shelters.[4]
The Amazon River Basin suffered its second-heaviest flood in one hundred years during this period.[5] These are already the worst floods Brazil has experienced in over twenty years.[6]
Reconstruction from the floods and mudslides are expected to take 3–5 years.
Developments
Heavy rain in Brazil began in early April 2009,affecting 40,000 people.[5] 13,000 people were immediately left homeless and there were two quick deaths in Maranhão's state capital,São Luís,both as a result of mudslides.[5] The homeless were half in shelters and half in the care of relatives. Thirteen of the state's municipalities had declared state of emergency.[5]
On 23 April,it was reported that the disaster had already killed three people,including a one-month-old child from Salvador,the capital of Bahia,who was suffocated by a mudslide.[7] Over 33,000 people had been made homeless at that stage;30,000 of these were in Maranhão and 3,400 were in the adjacent state of Bahia.[7]
At least 3,000 people lost their homes in Santa Catarina,whilst one died.[5] The governor of Amazonas,Eduardo Braga,initiated a state of emergency in every one of his state's sixty-two municipalities.[5] Fourteen people were reported dead within one month and at least 62,600 others were left homeless by 2 May 2009.[4]
Nineteen people were dead by 5 May 2009,as a sharp rise in homelessness occurred.[3] Homeless totals have been estimated at 186,000 individuals.[3] Images of citizens travelling around in boats and barely visible rooftops were broadcast on television.[3] Emergency shelters were said to be "packed" with homeless people.[3] At least six major highways were closed in Maranhão.[3] A railway used to transport iron ore and 1,300 people each day was also shut down.[1] The governor of the state of Piauí declared state of emergency in nineteen of the state's towns and cities,and requested help from the military in rescuing people from the floods.[6]
By this time,over 186,000 people were homeless. The death toll by 6 May was reported at twenty-nine.[8]
The death toll by 8 May was thirty-nine and 270,000 people were reported homeless.[2]
By 10 May, it was being reported that over 300,000 people were homeless and 44 had been killed.[9]
Reaction
President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, inspected the damage by air and brought food to those displaced by the disaster.[3] He commented: "We need to look more seriously into the climate situation these days. Something is changing and we still have time to fix it." (i.e.: Mass De-Forestation?)[3] Brazil's Health Minister José Gomes Temporão has promised to deliver medical supplies to Maranhão.[3]
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