Heavy rains cause water supply collapse in 18 cities in Pernambuco.
According to Compesa, problems caused by the rain paralyzed 15 water supply systems.
247 - The Pernambuco Water and Sanitation Company (Compesa) reported that 18 cities had their water supply suspended because the soil became saturated, which could cause accidents and damage to the pipes. In other municipalities, the problems include power outages, poor water quality, and even the risk of flooding. According to Compesa, the problems caused by the rain paralyzed 15 water supply systems. At least seven people have died in the last two days in the Recife Metropolitan Region.
The company has activated a Water Supply Security Protocol, which affects seven cities: Recife, Camaragibe, Abreu e Lima, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Olinda, Goiana, and Paulista.
The Recife Operations Center (COP) placed the capital of Pernambuco on alert due to the rains this Wednesday morning (5). In the alert state, the rains vary from moderate to heavy and can cause major flooding. The previous stage is the alert state, when there is heavy rainfall. In cases of storms or large fires, a state of emergency may be declared. In the state of public calamity, there is a high number of deaths.
The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) issued a red alert this Wednesday morning for the entire coastal strip of Pernambuco and part of Alagoas. The warning, with a severity level of "great danger," forecasts rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters throughout the day and winds above 100 km/h.
Details
When authorities issue a yellow alert, it means there is "potential danger," with rainfall between 20 and 30 mm per hour (mm/h) or up to 50 mm per day (mm/d), in addition to winds of 40 km/h to 60 km/h. There is a lower risk of power outages, falling tree branches, flooding, and lightning strikes.
In the orange alert, there is "danger" for certain areas, with rainfall between 30 mm/h and 60 mm/h or between 50 mm/h and 100 mm/h, in addition to intense winds of 60 km/h and 100 km/h. There is a real risk of power outages, falling tree branches, flooding, and lightning strikes.
The red alert indicates "high danger," with rainfall exceeding 60 mm/h or 100 mm/day. There is a risk of major flooding, overflowing rivers, and landslides.
Rios
Authorities issued a flood risk warning for three municipalities. On Wednesday (5), the Pernambuco Water and Climate Agency (Apac) issued a hydrological warning communicating the risk of flooding in Timbaúba, a city in the Zona da Mata Norte region of Pernambuco, after the Capibaribe Mirim River reached the alert level.
The hydrological warning is issued when the river level falls just one meter below the flood level. This reading was recorded when the river reached a level of 2,5 meters, while the flood level for the Capibaribe Mirim River is 3,5 meters.
APAC also stated that the Duas Unas River reached the alert level — which is 2,3 meters — in the region near Jaboatão Centro. The Goiana Canal, in the city of Goiana, also reached the alert level.
According to the Brazilian Geological Survey (CPRM), the alert level for rivers is when there is a moderate possibility of flooding. In the alert state, the possibility of flooding is high. In the flood state, municipalities are already observing significant structural damage.
classrooms
Representatives of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) suspended academic and administrative activities this Wednesday (5) at the institution's Recife Campus.
Authorities also suspended classes in municipal schools in 5 cities - Recife, Paulista, Jaboatão, and Abreu e Lima, in the Metropolitan Region; and Goiana, in the Zona da Mata Norte region of Pernambuco.
