The heavy rains that have hit Santa Catarina since Saturday (22/11) have caused damage in at least 32 municipalities. According to Civil Defense, between noon on Sunday (23/11) and Monday (24/11), 364 homes were damaged, displacing 133 people and displacing 15 others. Some of those affected took refuge in public buildings or in the homes of relatives and friends.
He watches:
Luiz Alves, in Vale do Itajai, was one of the worst affected towns. The municipality witnessed several areas flooded with water, which led to the suspension of classes in the afternoon and evening. The health center in the Kanwas neighborhood was also without service. The city municipality set up a shelter to serve residents in case the water level rises again.
In Joinville, the early hours of Monday morning saw blocked roads and closures in four neighborhoods. The number of homeless people reached eight people by early afternoon.
Municipalities in a state of emergency
The sequence of storms led to four cities declaring a state of emergency: Ibirama, Petrolandia, Lontras, in the Itajaí Valley, and Massaranduba. Other locations are considering adopting the same measure, such as Ceará, Rio das Antas, Cunha Pura, Freiburgo, Vitor Meirelles, in Vale do Itajai, and Balneario Barra do Sul.
According to Civil Defense, the incidents included hail and heavy rain. Municipalities such as Florianópolis, Chapeco, Rio do Sul, São Bento do Sul and Fraiburgo recorded ice damage. Luiz Alves, São João do Itabrio, São Francisco do Sul and Balneario Barra do Sul were mainly affected by the volume of rain.
Luiz Alves also led the rainfall accumulated within 24 hours. Between 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and 4:30 p.m. on Monday, the municipality received 181.6 mm of rain, a figure higher than the historical average for the entire month of November in the region, which is estimated at 130 mm, according to Ibagri/Seram.
Civil Defense warns that the danger remains until Monday evening, with the possibility of continuous rain and scattered thunderstorms, especially in northern Santa Catarina. The extratropical cyclone forming between the Paraná coast and the southeast of the country is contributing to the instability.
The forecast calls for only a gradual decrease in rainfall from mid-afternoon onwards. There is a risk of floods, floods and landslides in the Itajai Valley and the northern coast. In other areas, scattered rain accompanied by strong winds is possible, with the possibility of roof damage, electrical network damage, and falling trees.
Cities that recorded damage
Agrolandia, Abiona, Barra Bonita, Chapeco, Cunha Pura, Florianópolis, Freiburgo, Ibirama, Jardinópolis, Lontras, Major Jercino, Petrolandia, Rio das Antas, Rio do Sul, Ceará, São Bento do Sul, São Pedro de Alcantara, Tempo Grande, União do Oeste, Videra, Vitor. Meireles.
Balerio Barra do Sul, Luiz Alves, São Francisco do Sul, São João do Itabrio.
Civil defense recommendations
In case of emergency, the advice is to call the Fire Department on 193 or Civil Defense on 199. The agency reinforces basic precautions during bad weather:
- Do not cross flooded streets or submerged buildings;
- Avoid driving in places where water accumulates.
- It has no direct contact with floodwaters.
- Look for sheltered locations during strong winds;
- Stay away from windows, trees, poles and objects that can be thrown.
Other southern states are also facing damage
Bad weather also hit Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. In Guarapuava (PR), hailstones the size of chicken eggs fell during a storm on Sunday (23/11), damaging homes and mobilizing civil defense teams.
According to Simibar, this phenomenon was favored by a cold front in the ocean that formed a “meteorological trough,” an area of low pressure that intensifies storms.
In Rio Grande do Sul, a storm accompanied by hail struck the city of Ereshim, north of the state, injuring more than 150 people and causing damage to more than 25,000 residents. The city declared a state of emergency.