Floods in Itupiranga, Pará, Brazil, March 2023.
© Civil Defence of ItupirangaFloods in Itupiranga, Pará, Brazil, March 2023.
Thousands of people have evacuated their homes after flooding and landslides in several northern states of Brazil. At least 6 people have lost their lives in the state of Maranhão and 3 in the state of Ceará.

Maranhão

Authorities in the state of Maranhão report that multiple municipalities in the state have declared a state of emergency in response to the recent heavy rainfall. Around 800 households have been displaced. Federal and state governments are distributing relief supplies including mattresses and food, mostly in Pedreiras and Santa Luzia.

One of the hardest hit areas is the municipality of Santa Luzia, where 2 people died in a landslide. Firefighters and the Tactical Air Center (CTA) participated in an operation to provide assistance to the population. In Açailândia, a vehicle was swept away by the flood and three people died. Dam failures caused flooding in the municipalities of Barra do Corda and Santo Antônio dos Lopes.


Landslide in Maranhão, Brazil, March 2023.
© CBMMALandslide in Maranhão, Brazil, March 2023.
Pará

The municipalities of Marabá and Itupiranga in Pará State, Brazil, declared an emergency on 21 March 2023 due to rising levels in the Tocantins and Itacaiúnas rivers. Local authorities in Marabá said more than 400 households were displaced. The two rivers have been rising for some time in the state but reached danger levels over the last few days.


Ceará

As reported by FloodList on 20 March, heavy rain caused a landslide in Aratuba, Ceará State, Brazil, on 16 March 2023. Three people died, 15 homes were damaged and 45 people evacuated.

Thirty families were pre-emptively evacuated from homes in neighbourhoods of Itapipoca City on 17 March due to flood and landslide threats.

Local governments declared a state of emergency in Guaramiranga, Itapipoca, Missão Velha, Aratuba and Uruburetama. In the following days Altaneira, Antonina do Norte and Itapaje were added to the list.

On 20 March authorities warned that 26 dams in the state were at capacity.

Pernambuco

Heavy rain caused flooding in the municipalities of Caruaru and Santa Cruz do Capibaribe in Pernambuco State on 18 March 2023. Local media reported homes flooded and several families were evacuated. Streets of Greater Recife were flooded after heavy rain on 21 March 2023.



Dozens of people lost their lives in flooding and landslides in the state, including in Recife, in May last year.