Underrepresented Communities in Rio Grande do Sul's Climate Catastrophe

The water arrived without respite in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In just 15 days, the accumulated rainfall surpassed the average forecast for five whole months, causing rivers to overflow in several cities across the state. In the capital, Porto Alegre, Lake Guaíba reached an unprecedented height, entering the city through culverts and flooding neighborhoods in the center and on the outskirts.

Hundreds of thousands of people had to leave their homes, historic buildings were flooded, and businesses suffered huge losses. Access to the state capital was impossible for days due to destroyed roads. With its runway flooded for 20 days, the city's airport was closed for the rest of the year.

Without infrastructure, poor, black, and traditional communities were the hardest hit by the floods and spent up to 38 days marooned, as these were the last places where the government installed engines to drain the water. Displaced and in temporary shelters, many people have lost their homes and don't know if they will be able to return to their territories of origin. The series of reports tells the stories of these people to understand how they were affected and how they are rebuilding their lives.