Rambo’s store and numerous other businesses in the state capital of Porto Alegre have been severely impacted by devastating floods caused by torrential rains in late April. The Chamber of Store Managers estimates that the total cost to commerce in the city reached 487.7 million reals ($91m) between April 29 through May 26. The floodwaters reached unprecedented levels, with the Guaiba River rising 5.33 meters (17.48 feet) higher than normal – a record-breaking level never before seen, surpassing the previous high set during the historic floods of May 1941.
The owners of businesses along the waterfront watched as the floodwaters rose each day, eventually flooding their stores and restaurants. Eni Verdejo Monteiro, the owner of a local sandwich shop, described the harrowing experience of being stuck in her flooded premises without electricity and fearing looters. Despite the challenges, residents and business owners like Monteiro and her husband are determined to rebuild and move forward, even as they face significant financial losses and an uncertain future.
The flooding tragedy in southern Brazil has been labeled as the worst climate disaster in the region’s history. Reconstruction costs in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil, are estimated to be around $4 billion. More than 90 percent of the municipalities in the state were impacted, affecting 2.3 million people. The devastation is widespread, with 600,000 people displaced from their homes and 50,000 still in shelters. Entire sections of towns were obliterated by inundated rivers, leading to massive destruction of homes, stores, and businesses.
The town of Arroio do Meio was one of the hardest-hit areas, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visiting to survey the damage. In Porto Alegre, the devastation is starkly contrasted between low-lying areas close to the river and neighborhoods on higher ground that were less affected. The slow process of recovery is underway, with parts of the city still submerged and the airport expected to remain closed until the end of the year. The city is slowly emerging from the aftermath of the floods, with ongoing challenges such as continued rain, strong winds, and struggling infrastructure complicating recovery efforts.
President Lula has pledged $10 billion for the state’s recovery efforts, while the New Development Bank has committed another $1 billion. Despite the significant financial aid, the road to reconstruction will be long and arduous, with various factors such as weather conditions and infrastructural issues posing challenges. The resilience and determination of residents and business owners in Porto Alegre and across Rio Grande do Sul are evident as they face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and communities in the wake of this devastating natural disaster.
