2009 Brazilian floods and mudslides

The 2009 Brazilian floods and mudslides were a severe natural disaster principally affecting five northeastern states of Brazil. As a result of heavy rains, fourteen people were reported dead over a period of one month and at least 62,600 others had been left homeless as of 2 May 2009. Nineteen people were dead by 5 May 2009, with a significant increase in homeless people being reported, estimated at 186,000.^[1] The death toll by 8 May was thirty-nine and 270,000 people were reported homeless.^[2]

The state of Santa Catarina in the South of the country was also been damaged. A total of seven states were affected across the country.^[3] Maranhão was the worst affected state, with at least six deaths and at least 40,700 homeless people occupying shelters.^[4]

The Amazon River Basin suffered its second-heaviest flood in one hundred years during this period.^[5] These are already the worst floods Brazil has experienced in over twenty years.^[6]

Reconstruction from the floods and mudslides are expected to take 3–5 years.

Heavy rain in Brazil began in early April 2009, affecting 40,000 people.^[5] 13,000 people were immediately left homeless and there were two quick deaths in Maranhão's state capital, São Luís, both as a result of mudslides.^[5] The homeless were half in shelters and half in the care of relatives. Thirteen of the state's municipalities declared a state of emergency.^[5]

On 23 April, it was reported that the disaster had already killed three people, including a one-month-old child from Salvador, the capital of Bahia, who was suffocated by a mudslide.^[7] Over 33,000 people had been made homeless at that stage; 30,000 of these were in Maranhão and 3,400 were in the adjacent state of Bahia.^[7]

At least 3,000 people lost their homes in Santa Catarina, whilst one died.^[5] The governor of Amazonas, Eduardo Braga, initiated a state of emergency in every one of his state's sixty-two municipalities.^[5] Fourteen people were reported dead within one month and at least 62,600 others were left homeless by 2 May 2009.^[4]

Nineteen people were dead by 5 May 2009, as a sharp rise in homelessness occurred.^[3] Homeless totals have been estimated at 186,000 individuals.^[3] Images of citizens travelling around in boats and barely visible rooftops were broadcast on television.^[3] Emergency shelters were said to be "packed" with homeless people.^[3] At least six major highways were closed in Maranhão.^[3] A railway used to transport iron ore and 1,300 people each day was also shut down.^[1] The governor of the state of Piauí declared a state of emergency in nineteen of the state's towns and cities, and requested help from the military in rescuing people from the floods.^[6]

By this time, over 186,000 people were homeless. The death toll by 6 May was reported at twenty-nine.^[8]

The death toll by 8 May was thirty-nine and 270,000 people were reported homeless.^[2]

By 10 May, it was being reported that over 300,000 people were homeless and 44 had been killed.^[9]

President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, inspected the damage by air and brought food to those displaced by the disaster.^[3] He commented: "We need to look more seriously into the climate situation these days. Something is changing and we still have time to fix it." (i.e.: Mass De-Forestation?)^[3] Brazil's Health Minister José Gomes Temporão had promised to deliver medical supplies to Maranhão.^[3]

• 2009 Messina floods and mudslides
• 2009 El Salvador floods and mudslides
• 2010 Northeastern Brazil floods
• 2020 Brazilian floods and mudslides