Rio Grande Do Sul has for the past months since April been receiving heavy rains which have caused a lot of havoc. As a result, according to OCHA, 27TH May 2024, the number of affected people remains at 2.3 million with the death toll rising to 169 and 56 still missing.
This is coupled with 200,000 houses being affected, of which nearly half are devastated hence the displacement of 600,000 people. The OCHA figures further show that 90 percent of businesses are suffering from fatal losses as floods raged on disrupting everything in the region as citizens scamper for survival.
The research also shows that at least 64 points located in 36 roads are still damaged or blocked causing significant delays in supply transport, as a result of temporary bridges and walkways destroyed. Approximately 381,000 students and 1,066 schools are affected with 570 schools damaged or at risk of more damage.
Worse still, reports of heightened gender-based violence (GBV) have promoted enhanced security measures including additional staff in shelters and shelters specifically for women and girls. However, more attention and mechanisms are being employed by different stakeholders to counter floods and their impacts in Rio Grande Do Sul.
Notably, the government has mobilized 30,000 staff led by the military to respond to the flooding whereby Rio Grande Do Sul state civil defense is coordinating with national responders, army forces, search and rescue teams, civil societies, and UN agencies in the fight to tame flooding.
The Brazilian national government is providing R$ 12 billion for response following a call by the presidency to enact a provisional measure to create an extraordinary secretariat for the reconstruction of Rio Grande Do Sul.
In addition to that, the UN agencies such as UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, PAHO/WHO, UNAID, CHCHR, ILO, UNOPS, UNDRR, UN-HABITAT, UNDP and ECLAC led by the UN Resident Coordinator along with humanitarian partners including Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, World Vision, CARE, Samaritan Purae, OXFAM, CADENA and SOS children villages are offering technical solutions and supplies. The UN resident coordinator’s office remains I’m close contact with the government to provide further assistance if needed.
As actions are ramped up to safeguard the affected, UNICEF and UNHCR have mapped 700 shelters with 50,000 people, a third of whom are considered vulnerable. Humanitarian stakeholders suggest that at least 20 percent of shelters require work to meet international standards.
In response to the destruction, Partners are providing kits, stoves, food and water, temporary housing, and non-food items such as hygiene kits, mattresses, and blankets. This is emboldened by the World Vision doing trainings of shelter staff on child protection while Adra is managing hot meat distribution at shelters.
