Porto Alegre closes safety floodgates to prevent flooding | Brazil

Amid the storms that have hit Rio Grande do Sul since the beginning of the week, Porto Alegre city hall began this Thursday (2) closing the security gates at Cais Mauá. The process began at gates 3 and 4, located at the height of the central portico.

The measure, defined this Wednesday (1st) in conjunction with the rapid response bodies at the Integrated Service Coordination Center, is based on forecasts of a rise in the level of the Guaíba River in the coming days.

The most recent measurement was 2.63 meters at 6:15 am at Cais Mauá, where the warning level is 2.5 meters and the flood level is 3 meters.

In the Islands region, which is considerably lower, the most recent measurement was 2.18 meters at 6:30 am. At the site, the warning level is 2 meters and the flood level is 2.20 meters.

According to the city hall, the area will also be the focus of actions in the coming hours.

Imminent flood

MetSul Meteorologia classified the possibility of flooding in Guaíba as imminent and of major proportions, “rivaling some of the largest in history in the last 80 years”. The guidance is that the population of the islands of Porto Alegre and the Jacuí Delta immediately begin preparations to remove personal objects and preserve their heritage.

“The tendency is for the level to continue rising quickly and sharply. The waters of the contributing rivers (Jacuí, Taquari, Caí, Gravataí and Sinos) take up to 48 hours to reach the Jacuí Delta, in the Porto Alegre area, but it rained too much in the final part of this basin and the water begins to arrive.”

“Almost all the rain flow that has already occurred has not yet arrived and there is more extreme rain to fall on the contributing rivers, so the worst of the flooding should occur at the end of this week and next week in the Guaíba area”, concluded MetSul.