Heavy rains threaten most of Brazil’s 27 states

The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) has issued an orange alert for parts of 12 states and the Federal District in Brazil due to the forecast of heavy rainfall.

The alert, spanning Wednesday (Jan. 24) to next Friday (Jan. 26) morning, warns of rainfall between 50 and 100 mm/day, along with intense winds (60-100 km/h). These conditions pose risks such as power cuts, falling tree branches, flooding, and electrical discharges.

Rio de Janeiro, which has been under alert for days, has already felt the impact of heavy rains over the past two weeks, affecting approximately 100,000 people, according to a report released on Wednesday by the local government. The Serra and Metropolitan regions face a moderate risk of landslides.

The updated number of displaced people in Rio de Janeiro has risen to over 25,000, with 1,052 still homeless. The floods have resulted in 12 deaths.

The updated number of displaced people in Rio de Janeiro has risen to over 25,000, with 1,052 still homeless.- Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Alerts

Inmet uses three colors to indicate the degree of danger of natural events: yellow (potential danger), orange (danger), and red (great danger).