Floods in Amazonas state, Brazil, March 2017.
© Civil Defence AmazonasFloods in Amazonas state, Brazil, March 2017.
The Juruá river in the northern state of Amazonas, Brazil, has overflowed affecting more than 6,000 families in four municipalities.

Civil Defence officials have been monitoring the situation since heavy rainfall in early January. However levels of the river recently increased dramatically and a state of emergency has been declared in the municipalities of Guajará, Ipixuna, Eirunepé and Itamarati.

As of 07 March, 2017, the Juruá river in Guajará reached 16.68 metres where the flood level is 12.64 metres.

Amazonas Civil Defence have started to distribute food and other emergency supplies including medicine, hygiene kit, sleeping equipment and water purification kits.

Elsewhere in the state increasing levels of the Juruá have placed on alert communities in the municipalities of Juruá, Carauari and Envira.

The Solimões river is also rising, causing concern in the municipalities of Tabatinga, Benjamin Contant, São Paulo de Olivença, Amaturá, Santo Antônio do Iça, Tonantins and Atalaia do Norte. No flooding has been reported but Civil Defence officials say the areas are under a "situation of attention".

Floods in 8 states prompt emergency declarations


Yesterday Brazil's Ministry of National Integration announced that emergencies had also been declared in other parts of the country after several incidents of flooding.

In Amapá state the Araguari river overflowed and affected families living in the town of Bailique.

Heavy rain and flooding affected Bauru and Bofete in São Paulo. Emergencies were also declared after recent flooding in Água Doce do Norte, Espírito Santo state and Ribeirão Grande, São Paulo state.

A state of emergency was declared due to the flash floods in Trairão (Pará state), Nova Santa Rita (Rio Grande do Sul state), and in Aparecida de Goiânia (Goiás state).

The state of emergency declaration allows the municipalities to request material and financial support from the National Secretariat for Civil Protection and Defense (SEDEC).