BEFORE AFTER. Visualize the extent of the floods that hit Brazil

The Sentinel-2 satellite was able to fly over the disaster area in clear weather and observe the damage in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

A week after the start of record rains, the toll from the floods that hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul, located in southern Brazil, continues to rise. At least 78 people have died, according to the latest report from local authorities, to which must be added 134 missing and 339 injured. Monday May 6, after a long cloudy streak, the Sentinel-2 satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA) flew over the disaster area and was able to capture images from space.

The level of the Guaiba River, which crosses Porto Alegre, a metropolis of 1.4 million inhabitants and capital of the state, reached 5.30 m on Sunday, well above the record of 4.76 m dating from floods historical records from 1941.

To the west of the city, where the damage is considerable, the river has completely burst its banks, changing the geography of the area. The orange-colored water invaded the streets, sometimes revealing only the roofs of the houses. The residents had to take refuge there as best they could, while waiting for help to arrive.

Communities cut off from the world

“Our state is a war zone and we will have to put in place treatment for the post-war period”, warned Governor Eduardo Leite during a press conference alongside President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The damage is very heavy : more than 150,000 people have had to leave their homes, 47,000 people have found refuge in accommodation centers and more than a million homes are without water.

According to Civil Defense, 385 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul were affected by bad weather. Many of them are cut off from the world, as is the case for the islands located in the Jacuu Delta.

The storms also caused landslides and around 200 roads were cut, making the task of rescuers even more difficult. By helicopter or boat, rescuers and volunteers are engaged in a fight against time to save lives. Nearly 14,000 military personnel have been deployed to the region, according to the federal government. They are also responsible for distributing food to the population, the water and food supply being largely compromised, according to the authorities.

According to the public meteorological institute Inmet, it is expected to rain again from Wednesday in already hard-hit areas. In certain municipalities located in mountainous areas of Rio Grande do Sul, precipitation exceeded 600 mm last week, or a third of the average for an entire year, according to the specialized site Metsul.

According to this site, this situation “extremely serious” will last for “A long period” and certain areas “will be uninhabitable for weeks or months” due to the destruction. Experts point to the combination of global warming and the El Niño phenomenon to explain the violence and volume of these rains.

“The disaster in Brazil and ongoing floods in East Africa highlight the need for a more integrated response to the impacts of El Niño and climate change”estimated the World Meteorological Organization in a press release.