The rain in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro began late on Wednesday, January 12th, and in a few hours had left over 650 dead and thousands homeless in eight counties. Landslides and flash floods hit the cities which had entire neighborhoods destroyed. The disaster is the 6th most deadly in the last 12 months in the world, according to the Center for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), based in Belgium. The death toll also puts the tragedy as the worst landslide in Brazil.
Nova Friburgo and Teresópolis (pointed on the map above) were the two municipalities most affected by the disaster that devastated the region. There are many missing persons and the searches continue, some locations are still inaccessible. Unofficially, it is estimated that the number of deaths in Nova Friburgo alone could reach 1,000.
Precipitation is still raging in the region. And the forecast is for more rain in coming days, hampering the rescue effort and worsening the situation in a region that is already waterlogged and therefore dangerous. The geographical layout and the fact that families have illegally occupied land on hillsides, hilltops and riversides mean that the area was particularly vulnerable to a natural disaster.
Using 2010 Census data, Petropolis, Teresopolis and Nova Friburgo, the municipalities most affected by the tragedy, have 641,865 inhabitants. Some of the individuals who have been affected have been provided with shelter by family members or are staying in public buildings, football stadiums, churches and schools.
Infrastructure has been damaged across the entire region. In Nova Friburgo, only now have some of the services including water, power and telephones been restored.
CARE’s emergency response
Shortly after the rains started, CARE deployed emergency staff to determine the extent of the damage in two of the eight municipalities: Nova Friburgo and Teresópolis. CARE is coordinating closely with the government and other agencies. If additional support is needed, CARE is prepared to to assist the most vulnerable population by ensuring access to safe drinking water for families; providing food and hygiene kits; and improving shelter conditions.
Media contacts:
Hauke Hoops, Regional Emergency Coordinator (Brazil): [email protected] +507 67475516
Melanie Brooks (Geneva): [email protected] +41 79 590 3047
About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid agencies. Working side by side with poor people in 72 countries, CARE helps empower communities to address the greatest threats to their survival. Women are at the heart of CARE’s efforts to improve health, education and economic development because experience shows that a woman’s achievements yield dramatic benefits for her entire family. CARE is also committed to providing lifesaving assistance during times of crisis, and helping rebuild safer, stronger communities afterward.