January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides

January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides
Date11 January 2011
LocationTeresópolis, Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis, Sumidouro and São José do Vale do Rio Preto, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Deaths916[1]
Property damage2.0 billion Reais ($1.2 billion USD)[2]
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A series of floods and mudslides took place in January 2011 in several towns of the Mountainous Region (Região Serrana), in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Casualties occurred in the cities of Nova Friburgo, Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Bom Jardim, Sumidouro and São José do Vale do Rio Preto.[3] The floods caused at least 916 deaths, including 424 in Nova Friburgo and 378 in Teresópolis.[4][5][6][7] While local media claims that the combination of floods, mudslides and landslides in Rio de Janeiro became the worst weather-related natural disaster in Brazilian history,[8][9] some contend that a similar weather-related tragedy that took place in the same state in 1967 was much deadlier, and that an estimated 1,700 people lost their lives on that occasion.[10]

The cities that reported human casualties are located in a mountainous area, in the neighborhood of the Serra dos Órgãos national park. The area is a tourist hotspot due to its geographic features, historical landmarks and mild temperatures. Many buildings, however, are directly exposed to landslide hazards because of the steep terrain.

  1. ^ "Número de mortos na Região Serrana já passa de 900 após chuvas de janeiro" (in Portuguese). 15 February 2011.
  2. ^ Brasileiro, Adriana (17 January 2010). "Brazil Cities Hit by Landslides, Floods Will Need $1.2 Billion to Recover". Bloomberg. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  3. ^ G1 RJ (14 January 2011). "Sobe para 5 número de cidades com mortes após chuva na Região Serrana". G1 RJ (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 January 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Número de mortos na Região Serrana já passa de 900 após chuvas de janeiro" (in Portuguese). 15 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Sobe número de casos de leptospirose em cidades da Região Serrana atingidas pelas chuvas de janeiro" (in Portuguese). 9 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Sobe para 869 o número de mortos da Região Serrana em consequência das chuvas de janeiro" (in Portuguese). 1 February 2011.
  7. ^ World (16 January 2011). "Death toll from Brazil floods hits 600". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Chuva na Região Serrana é maior tragédia climática da história do país". G1 and Jornal Nacional (in Portuguese). G1. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  9. ^ Freire, Aluizio; Lauriano, Carolina; Araújo, Glauco; Leta, Thamine (13 January 2011). "Número de mortos na Região Serrana do Rio passa de 400". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  10. ^ Paiva, Aurélio (14 January 2011)"Maior tragédia do Brasil foi na Serra das Araras" Archived 20 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese). Diário do Vale. Retrieved 19 January 2011.