The National Center for Natural Disasters and Alerts (Cemaden) issued a lot of rainfall to various regions of the state, including Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio, effective until next Sunday (6). Given the risk of floods and landslides, the Civil Defense held, on Wednesday (2), an intersectoral meeting to define an emergency plan of preventive actions and service to the population.
Concern about the impacts of the rains also intensifies in the municipality of Rio, with the dissemination of the new vulnerability rate to extreme rainfall in the city of Rio de Janeiro (IVCE-RJ).
The study points out that 599,000 households – 21% of the capital’s total – are highly vulnerable to flooding or landslides, and 142,000 have very high vulnerability. The research was developed by Environmental Media in partnership with the RioNowcast+Green Research Group of the Computing Institute of the Fluminense Federal University (UFF).
In an interview with CNN UFF teacher and researcher Mariza Ferro warns of the worrying scenario, aggravated by extreme climate events intensified by global warming.
“The data show that the city is not prepared, in terms of infrastructure, for climate change. It is necessary to advance with urban resilience measures; in improving early alert with sensors to make more accurate predictions, sirens, escape routes and support points, training and simulations; infrastructure works such as measures for a sponge city, dredging and containments.”
The survey reveals that 70 thousand houses in the municipality are classified as highly vulnerable to landslides, being 9,700 at very high level. The scenario is even more alarming in the case of floods, with 530,000 homes at high vulnerability, of which 132,000 are very high.
Alerts in the mountainous region
As part of the efforts to reduce the impacts of extreme rainfall, the Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Civil Defense called for the first time the extreme alert of the Civil Defense System Alert. Technology, based on the Cell Broadcast system, allows the sending of emergency messages directly to the population’s cell phones in risk areas.
The first warning was fired on Tuesday (1st) to Guapimirim, after monitoring identifying heavy rains in the Serra dos Organs, increasing the risk of floods. With two levels of notification –Sever and extreme – the system expands the communication capacity of the Civil Defense in emergency situations, ensuring that the population be warned quickly and can take preventive measures.
The Secretariat and the Fire Department are still monitoring climatic conditions 24 hours a day. The Secretary of State for Civil Defense and Commander General of the Fire Department, Colonel Tarciso Salles, reinforced the importance of awareness.
“It is important for the population to be aware of the alerts and follow the directions of the authorities. Technology is a fundamental ally in preventing tragedies and each citizen can contribute by passing on the information received to friends and family. Security is everyone’s commitment,” warned the commander.
This content was originally published in intense rains in Rio: alert highlights risks and urgency of prevention on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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