Guaíba River reaches highest level since 1941, and city hall of

The flood protection system flood gates in Porto Alegre (RS) were closed again, for the third time this year, this Monday (20), after the level of the Guaíba river exceeded the flood level, which is three meters. . At 1:15 pm, the municipality’s Civil Defense measurement showed a mark of 3.19 meters, which exceeds the level reached in September this year and renews the highest mark since the great flood of 1941.

:: ‘Porto Alegre could have a flood like 1941 at any time’, says researcher ::

The city council began the process of closing the floodgates in the morning, in an operation carried out by teams from the Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (Dmae), with support from the Fire Department. In the Fourth District, some points already registered water accumulation when the region’s floodgate was closed. There is a record of water backflow through drains at points close to the river.

The delay in starting to close the floodgates led to the closure of three urban train stations (Trensurb) in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul – Mercado, Rodoviária and São Pedro. The reason for the closure is the flooding of the subway tracks that connect Porto Alegre to Vale dos Sinos.

:: In Rio Grande do Sul, rains cause flooding in the Uruguai and Taquari rivers and in Lake Guaíba ::

According to the municipal Executive, the level of Guaíba reached 3.04 meters this morning. The flood is due to the lake receiving water from other rivers that have recorded excessive amounts of rain in recent days. By early afternoon, five of the seven floodgates had been closed, which should be completed throughout the day.

In the island region, as measured early this morning, the water reached 2.5 meters, exceeding the flood level of 2.2 meters. The city hall informs that teams led by Civil Defense continue to monitor the rise in water in the region and provide support to the riverside population. The Demhab Gymnasium was opened as an emergency reception point and is ready to receive families in need.

In the South Zone of the capital, unlike September, the waters advance with less intensity over the city. This occurs due to the winds, which are in favor of the current and do not dam the Guaíba.

Flood protection system

Porto Alegre’s flood protection system was created after the great flood of 1941. It consists of 14 metal gates located in the wall of Mauá and under Avenida Castelo Branco, 23 pump houses that return water accumulated in neighborhoods to Guaíba close to the lake and more than 68 km of internal and external dikes.

This is the third time that the system has been activated this year alone. In 2015 it was also used. Previously, the waters had exceeded the level of the pier floor only in the 1941 flood and in 1967. In the assessment of MetSul Meteorologia, it is “astonishing from a statistical point of view that the two biggest floods in Guaíba occurred just 55 days apart. this spring.”

Homeless in the Metropolitan Region

According to MetSul, all rivers that flow into Guaíba are in flood and three of them (Taquari, Caí and Sinos) are experiencing major floods. Taquari and Caí have historic floods. Jacuí, the largest contributor, also has floods between Cachoeira do Sul and Triunfo with a tendency to rise even further.

:: Without Leite government, debate on climate emergency brings together civil society in RS ::

There are thousands of homeless people in cities bathed by these rivers in the Metropolitan region of Porto Alegre. In Eldorado do Sul, around 1,500 people are away from home. In São Sebastião do Caí, 1,045 remain homeless.