Record floods that have claimed over 170 lives and displaced half a million people in southern Brazil are a stark warning of impending climate disasters throughout the Americas, according to an official at the United Nations’ refugee agency.
Andrew Harper, special advisor on climate action for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, highlighted the dire situation during a visit to a devastated neighborhood in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state. “It was underwater for almost 40 days. There wasn’t even any rats running around. Everything had died,” Harper remarked, describing the area as “a ghost town.”
The catastrophic flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, described by local authorities as the worst disaster in the region’s history, has left approximately 389,000 people displaced. The floodwaters have receded, but the aftermath remains dire with streets piled high with water-logged garbage and debris, preventing residents from returning to their homes. Many, including Venezuelan refugees who had resettled in Porto Alegre, are still living in shelters.
UNHCR is collaborating with local government to construct temporary housing. Harper emphasized that some residents might never return to their original homes due to the frequency and severity of the flooding, potentially becoming “climate migrants” in the years to come.
Scientists have attributed the intensity of the flooding to climate change, which they say has doubled the likelihood of such events. The floods have surpassed all expectations of local authorities regarding climate disasters, underscoring the urgent need for better preparedness.
Harper warned that the situation in Brazil could be a precursor to similar events throughout the Americas if decisive action is not taken. “We’re seeing the emergence in Brazil of what we may be seeing throughout the Americas. So to ignore this, they do it at their own peril,” he stated.
Governments must identify and support the people most vulnerable to climate change, including those in neighborhoods like the one Harper visited in Porto Alegre. These communities need to be integrated into national climate plans to mitigate future disasters.
“It’s a warning signal, but we’ve been seeing warning signals now for five, ten years. At what point do you basically have to slap somebody in the face and say, ‘Wake up, you’re not going to ignore this,'” Harper said rhetorically.
