Rio Grande do Sul’s Guaíba river rises 41 cm
Even though rains have partly subsided over the last 24 hours in Rio Grande do Sul state, South Brazil, the level of the Guaíba river continues to rise, alarming the people of the Porto Alegre metropolitan region and causing more damage and disruption.
Between 8 am yesterday (May 13) and the same time today (14), the level of the river rose 0.41 centimeters, reaching 5.21 meters, 2.21 meters more than flood level, which is three meters. The all-time record, 5.33 meters, was recorded last week.
The higher volume is a reflection of the rains from last weekend in the Vale do Taquari region, from where the water flows towards the metropolitan region of the state capital and into the river.
Experts from the Hydraulic Research Institute (IPH) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) predict that the level of the Guaíba river could exceed 5.4 meters this Tuesday, depending on the south wind, which slows down the flow of water into the Patos lagoon, where it flows into the ocean.
“Considering the expected long duration and the recurrence of the flood with rising levels, we recommend maintaining attention to all risk areas, including the locations where the flooding has reduced. Special attention to the affected population is also advised, as well as and immediate efforts to restore infrastructure and maintain essential services, like basic sanitation,” the experts stated.
Faced with the situation, Porto Alegre Mayor Sebastião Melo once again urged people in areas previously affected by the floods to leave their homes. “Nobody should go back to their homes. I hope it doesn’t reach 5.5 meters, but I have to believe in science, in hydrologists. You can’t go back [now],” he warned during a press conference on Monday.
Monitoring
In a statement, the state Civil Defense reiterated that, even though no significant rainfall has been recorded in the state in the last 24 hours, “flooding is spreading in the Guaíba hydrographic region.”
“The Guaíba will possibly exceed last week’s flood levels. As for the Patos lagoon, it continues to show high levels, but a stable behavior is being observed, tending towards a slow decline depending on the region,” the note reads.
