2020 Brazilian floods and mudslides

File:Enchente do Rio Piracicaba na Prainha, Coronel Fabriciano MG2.JPG, Brazil.]]

File:Chuvas Espírito Santo 2020.svg in 2020, based on data from the State Civil Defense of Espírito Santo.

File:Apoio às cidades afetadas pelas chuvas − TV BrasilGov.webm, Espírito Santo.]]

Heavy rainfall began on 17 January 2020{{Cite web|url=http://www.gazetaonline.com.br/cbn_vitoria/reportagens/2020/01/cenario-e-de-catastrofe-diz-governador-casagrande-em-iconha-1014202691.html|title=Cenário é de catástrofe, diz governador Casagrande em Iconha|last=Verli|first=Caique|date=18 January 2020|website=Gazeta Online|language=pt-br|access-date=29 January 2020|archive-date=29 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129200000/https://www.gazetaonline.com.br/cbn_vitoria/reportagens/2020/01/cenario-e-de-catastrofe-diz-governador-casagrande-em-iconha-1014202691.html|url-status=dead}} and led to flash flooding and landslides in the south-east of Brazil, flooding to many houses and neighbourhoods. This was primarily reported in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. By 27 January 2020, the rain had largely subsided but was expected to continue throughout the week.

In the state of Minas Gerais, more than 15,000 people were evacuated as a result of the heavy rain and subsequent flooding. 10,000 people were evacuated from Espirito Santo along with 6,000 people from Rio de Janeiro. The city of Belo Horizonte saw {{cvt|171|mm|in}} of rainfall within a 24-hour period on 23–24 January; this was the highest such measurement in 110 years.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Scores dead as heavy rains bring landslides and evacuations in Brazil |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/27/heavy-rain-landslides-flooding-mass-evacuations-brazil |accessdate=29 January 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=27 January 2020}} Flooding in the city was reported on 29 January and led to the collapse of the roof of a mall.{{cite news |title='Devastating' Flooding Swamps Streets in Brazil's Belo Horizonte |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/devastating-flooding-swamps-streets-brazils-134822685.html |accessdate=29 January 2020 |work=Yahoo News }}

Reports emerged of several collapsed bridges and damaged roads in rural parts of Minas Gerais. Over 100 cities across the three states declared a state of emergency. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced the deployment of the Brazilian Armed Forces to the affected regions. Governor of Minas Gerais Romeu Zema stated that the hardest-hit areas were in areas where "people lived in informal and precarious housing". The Brazilian federal government allocated US$20 million for relief efforts in the affected regions while the state government of Minas Gerais allocated up to US$80 million.{{cite news |author=Claudia Dominguez and Ana Melgar |title=Heavy rains leave dozens dead in Brazil |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/27/americas/rains-floods-minas-gerais-brazil-intl/index.html |accessdate=29 January 2020 |publisher=CNN}}{{cite news |last1=McCoy |first1=Terrence |title=Exploding canals, collapsing malls: Watch Brazil's deadly floods |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/exploding-canals-and-collapsing-malls-watch-brazils-deadly-floods/2020/01/29/a2347e38-42ad-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html |accessdate=31 January 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=29 January 2020 }} The United Nations offered its assistance and support to the Brazilian government.{{cite news |title=UN ready to help Brazil amidst heavy rains |url=https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=51504&SEO=un-ready-to-help-brazil-amidst-heavy-rains |accessdate=29 January 2020 |website=plenglish.com |language=es-ES}} On 30 January, President Bolsonaro visited affected parts of Minas Gerais.{{cite news |title=Brazil's Bolsonaro visits hospital for hernia complication: source |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-bolsonaro-health/brazils-bolsonaro-visits-hospital-for-hernia-complication-source-idUSKBN1ZU03F |accessdate=31 January 2020 |work=Reuters |date=31 January 2020 }} The large coffee fields of Minas Gerais were largely unaffected by the flooding, according to farmers. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer.{{cite news |title=Devastating Brazil rains likely spared most of Minas coffee fields |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-coffee-crops/devastating-brazil-rains-likely-spared-most-of-minas-coffee-fields-idUSKBN1ZS1Y9 |accessdate=29 January 2020 |work=Reuters |date=29 January 2020 }} The town of Sabará established vaccination points against Hepatitis A and tetanus in the city, which was heavily hit by the flooding.{{cite news |title=Sabará faz campanha de vacinação contra hepatite A e tétano por causa da chuva |url=https://g1.globo.com/mg/minas-gerais/noticia/2020/02/01/sabara-faz-campanha-de-vacinacao-contra-hepatite-a-e-tetano-por-causa-da-chuva.ghtml |accessdate=2 February 2020 |work=G1 Globo Minas Gerais |agency=G1 Minas |publisher=G1 Globo |date=1 February 2020}}

Heavy rainfall continued into February and spread towards parts of neighbouring Paraguay. The southern Brazilian regions of Paraná, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul had the highest risks of flooding.{{cite news |title=Heavy rains and flooding forecasted for Asuncion, Paraguay and Porto Alegre, Brazil |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2020/01/31/heavy-rains-and-flooding-forecasted-for-asuncion-paraguay-and-porto-alegre-brazil |accessdate=31 January 2020 |work=MercoPress }}

{{Portal|Brazil|Environment}}

• Subtropical Storm Kurumí
• 2009 Brazilian floods and mudslides

{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.defesacivil.mg.gov.br/ Defesa Civil de Minas Gerais] {{in lang|pt}}

{{2020 floods}}

Category:2020 disasters in Brazil

Category:2020 floods

Category:2020s floods in Brazil

Brazilian floods and mudslides

Category:Landslides in Brazil

Category:January 2020 in Brazil

Category:South Atlantic tropical cyclones