Disaster Services — 09 May, 2024

2024 Rio Grande do Sul Floods

Brazil: Floods - Jan 2024 Activation Stats:

Community Mappers^ⓘ Total number of Mappers from Missing Maps

Total Map Edits^ⓘ Total number of edits from Missing Maps

Buildings Mapped^ⓘ Total number of buildings mapped from Missing Maps

Roads Mapped (KM)^ⓘ Total length of roads mapped from Missing Maps

This is an activation led by Lac Hub for the Brazil Floods of 2024.

Mapping projects for this activation

Wiki page for this activation

CONTEXT

After two weeks of intense rain, gales, and hail in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the collapse of the curtain of the July 14th hydroelectric dam has exacerbated an already critical situation, resulting in more than 100 deaths and 100 missing. More than one million people are affected. Nearly 70,000 have been evacuated and over one million homes are without drinking water. Additionally, 421,000 households lack electricity, and 115 municipalities are without telephone and internet services. There are 61 blocked roads and the Porto Alegre airport remains closed. The Guaíba River has reached record levels, flooding the historic center of Porto Alegre. The current estimated river level is 5,33 meters.

This event marks the second significant disaster in less than a year for the state, following a cyclone in September 2023 that left at least 31 dead. Climate change, along with the El Niño phenomenon, has intensified extreme weather conditions in the region.

Following the natural hazard disaster, the OSM Brazil Community, in coordination with the Open Mapping Hub in Latin America and the Caribbean, agreed to launch on May 9th, 2024 an activation to support response efforts after conversations with local partners in the region, and as we continue to make connections to identify and prioritize data needs.