Extreme weather is hitting with unprecedented force uprooting lives and changing landscapes forever Families and communities across the world are facing unimaginable devastation aggravated by the operations of fossil fuel companies.  Four survivors from three continents share their personal experiences and the toll that extreme weather events have taken on their lives This is the reality of living on the frontline of the climate crisis “ It looked like a war scene.” Darroberto and Beatriz in front of their family business We couldn’t tell where so much water was coming from we had to leave the house with water up to our chest We went to the second floor of our neighbours’ house and stayed there We thought we’d spend the night and return the next day the water kept rising and almost reached the second floor they had to break down a gate to rescue us It took us almost two hours to get to the entrance of the supermarket “We couldn’t tell where so much water was coming from we had to leave the house with water up to our chest.” My son rescued us and took us to his house The entrance to our neighbourhood was full of water we went to my brother-in-law’s house to start the cleanup there It’s heartbreaking to see everything being taken out The debris is still here; we relive this every day “It’s heartbreaking to see everything being taken out And the debris is still here; we relive this every day.” we can’t call it trash because it was our stuff We look with great sadness at what has been lost and at the same time with hope for what is to come These objects represent our lifetime’s work.  This happened so we could see how there are still good people They don’t think that things need to take a new direction we saw how there are wonderful human beings Why do we have to wait for a tragedy for this to happen?  “What was once a home filled with love and warmth is now just an empty shell of ruins.” What was once a home filled with love and warmth is now just an empty shell of ruins The tornado destroyed homes and displaced hundreds of families in its destructive wake that left 12 fatalities our very same home was submerged and destroyed by floods My elderly parents’ physical and mental health has been severely impacted since these senseless events Our possessions and lives are ruined once again by extreme weather events I donated whatever ruined personal and household items we found to Greenpeace Africa who are going to take them to the oil and gas companies Oil and gas companies need to start paying for the damages they are causing to the climate “Oil companies should be held accountable for the devastation we are experiencing.” Oil and gas companies cause the destruction of our environment They should be held accountable for the devastation we are experiencing I am encouraging all of you to support us and sign the petition so they will pay for the loss and damage they have caused The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat immediate reality for communities everywhere More lives will be shattered by extreme weather events as long as oil companies keep polluting and remain unaccountable By demanding that oil corporations stop drilling and start paying we can shift the course toward a just and livable future.  You can accelerate this change: Sign the petition below President Trump has actively dismantled and weakened environmental protection putting corporate profits and power for him and his billionaire friends ahead of people and planet and our future Whether you live in Manila or in Los Angeles you’re already feeling the impacts of the climate crisis Scientific studies confirm Big Oil’s greenhouse gas emissions makes catastrophes significantly more likely to occur Recall the scene from the film Her (2013) when Theodore meets his AI lover in the cloud and they embark on a romance through endless conversations Please select which cookies you are willing to store These cookies are required for technical reasons so that you can 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access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Sep 7 (EFE).- An extratropical cyclone that has caused extensive flooding in southern Brazil has killed 42 people and displaced more than 10,000 according to official data released Thursday A handout photo made available by the Government of the state of Rio Grande do Sul that shows people gathering some items damaged by torrential rains EFE/Mauricio Tonetto/Government of the State of Rio Grande Do Sul HANDOUT/ EDITORIAL USE ONLY/ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (MANDATORY CREDIT) is the southernmost state of Río Grande do Sul while the other fatality was recorded in the neighboring region of Santa Catarina 10,551 people have been displaced in the 83 affected municipalities where floods have entered homes and destroyed several bridges where 15 deaths have been recorded and nine people are still missing after the Taquari River burst according to the latest Civil Defense balance At least 16 roads in the region are partially or totally closed due to flooding and damage to bridges The Brazilian Navy said it was collaborating in the rescue efforts of people from the roofs of buildings A handout photo made available by the Government of the state of Rio Grande do Sul that shows some people next to a heavy machinery vehicle while clearing a street flooded by torrential rains EFE/ Mauricio Tonetto/Government of the State of Rio Grande Do Sul HANDOUT/ EDITORIAL USE ONLY/ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (MANDATORY CREDIT) The regional government on Thursday declared a state of calamity to deal with what is the largest natural disaster in the history of the state Civil Defense has issued a new alert for storms hail and strong wind throughout Rio Grande do Sul for Friday due a new cold front Rio Grande do Sul was already affected by a cyclone that left 16 victims in what until then had been the worst event of its kind in the history of the state “ O sistema atmosférico não cria uma situação individual para cada ponto ressalta especialista - Foto: Divulgação observatório do clima which is increasingly intensifying and affecting impoverished populations in different regions of the country In the Amazon, dozens of municipalities have declared a state of emergency due to rivers being at historic lows. Entire communities are isolated and have difficulty accessing food and drinking water. The dry weather has also contributed to spreading fires which destroy forests and plantations and pollute the air are not restricted to the Amazonian territory all regions suffer from disproportionate heat According to the Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (Cemaden, in Portuguese), Brazil is experiencing the worst drought in recent history. At the same time, three months ago, Rio Grande do Sul recorded the worst flood in the state's history According to data from the Drought Monitor around 200 Brazilian municipalities are still dealing with extreme drought especially in the state of São Paulo (82 towns) Amazonas has the largest total area with drought in July the area affected by the phenomenon increased from 5.96 million to 7.04 million square kilometers equivalent to 83% of Brazil's territory Rio Grande do Sul has remained drought-free for ten consecutive months Extreme weather events: Brazil's new “normal” the relationship between devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul and deforestation in the Amazon makes sense given that all atmospheric dynamics are connected who is a professor in the Graduate Program of Geography at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS explains how the recent disasters in southern Brazil the fires in the southeastern area of the country and the droughts in northern Brazil are all interconnected The geologist explains that we are under the climatic variations of El Niño which is nothing more than the warming of the waters This phenomenon normally occurs twice every 10 years and usually lasts for 18 months El Niño has intensified by greenhouse gases this change has led to the results we've seen in recent months which normally comes from the south towards the north It shocked with extremely hot pressure in the southeast portion of the country and wasn’t strong enough to advance all the rain that supposedly had fallen in the country’s southeastern or northeastern areas was blocked by a large mass of hot air the rainfall that should have been distributed to other parts of Brazil was concentrated in this region here in Rio Grande do Sul.” This explains why Brazilians have experienced extremely harmful natural events The professor also warns that the warm air mass in southeastern Brazil which prevented the cold front from advancing is an example of the relationship between global warming and the intensification of natural disasters “The atmospheric system doesn’t create a situation for each place; they are intertwined.” That’s why deforestation compromises the capacity of forests to regulate the climate across the American continent The consequence is the intensification of extreme events such as heavy rains that turn into storms and then floods a climate change scientist and coordinator of the Greenhouse Gas Laboratory at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE her research team has focused on analyzing the factors that determine these changes “We analyzed what had happened over the last 40 years in the Amazon and calculated how much each area had lost We found a very close correlation between more deforestation and lack of rain and an increase in temperature September and October,” explains Luciana are proof of the connection between vegetation and climate control and that's kind of obvious because trees release water vapor into the atmosphere The [Amazon] forest throws into the atmosphere an amount of water similar to what the Amazon River throws into the ocean every day Can you imagine the Amazon River flowing uphill?” Lúcia guarantees that deforestation is largely responsible for the rise in temperature in the region “For water to leave its liquid state (the state in which it is in the ground) and turn into vapor in the atmosphere because the water turning into steam is consuming energy in the form of heat in the Amazon,” says Luciana “When the number of trees in the forest decreases this process slows down and the temperature rises because the temperatures there are extremely high and there is a very important water vapor deficit concentrated in this region,” she explains living conditions in Brazil depend on a significant transformation in the economic model and public investment priorities “We needed to declare a moratorium on soy production and prioritize forest restoration projects there but the Mato Grosso state government is doing the opposite But agribusiness itself is going to bankrupt because there is no agriculture without water Luciana points out a safe path to fight future disasters it is urgent to combat it with immediate environmental conservation and reforestation measures both in the Amazon and on the riverside slopes of Rio Grande do Sul This is the only way to protect not only forests’ socio-biodiversity but also the inhabitants of the most vulnerable regions The scientist also defended the idea that agribusiness “The only money that counts is the balance of trade If people were to consider how much tax these agribusiness people don't pay how much they borrow at very low interest rates and how much it costs the Brazilian state to repair the damage caused by extreme events we'd see that this model causes a lot of damage to the country So why do we insist on investing so many resources in monoculture?” she asks to look at the population's demands and invest in projects that protect the lives of those affected [by climate disasters]” What do people hit by climate change think people all over Brazil hit by extreme climate events took to the streets to demand the protection of the population's fundamental rights in the face of the impacts caused by the current economic model and deforestation in different territories of the country from the northern state of Rondônia to the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul Organized by the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB, in Portuguese), the slogan of the day of struggles was “Save the Amazon We are all affected!” to denounce the impacts caused by the devastation of the world's largest rainforest but now it seems that the situation is worse Fishermen have already given up trying to fish because the river is just over a meter deep,” says Maurício one of the people affected who took part in the MAB actions in Porto Velho the new reality to which these populations are subjected by the climate crisis not only aggravates the scenario of insecurity near dams but also affects the expansion of projects related to the energy transition and worsens the living conditions of the working class in the face of environmental catastrophes the economic model adopted in Brazil has led to an enormous concentration of wealth and increased socio-spatial The populations affected by dams and by major works in general have historically been victims of this process these populations are 'doubly affected' as they are more vulnerable due to the risk of dam breaks as well as suffering the tragedy of extreme droughts,” says Elisa She emphasized that the recurring tragedies throughout the country show that there is an urgent need for a solution to support those affected through measures to adapt to and confront climate change but also through reparation policies for the affected populations among the actions planned for September 5 were demonstrations occupations and public assemblies to discuss the different tragedies underway in Brazil that are radically changing the lives of millions of Brazilians.   Hit by the historic flood in May in Rio Grande do Sul mentioned at the beginning of this news story was also motivated to take to the streets on September 5 In June she went through a complicated experience Marisa gave birth to her second child without a home because everything she had bought to welcome her child was washed away in the mud for 34 years and has never witnessed such severe flooding she says she will fight to build a different future for her daughter *This news story is the result of a partnership between Brasil de Fato RS and the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced provided it is not altered and proper credit is given All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced three historic floods have devastated entire towns in the Vale do Taquari region which encompasses dozens of municipalities in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state where family farming had a strong presence and agriculture was a thriving industry The scene after the most recent catastrophe resembles a war zone with river floods observed in virtually all of the state’s municipalities Agência Brasil visited locations where there are still blockades—towns like Roca Sales and Arroio do Meio which are among the most heavily devastated major highways reaching the capital had still not been fully cleared One of the videos that spread online during the tragic days shows the highway bridge over the Taquari river almost completely covered in water and the river overflowing its banks including a Havan chain outlet and its iconic replica of the Statue of Liberty the marks of destruction are still obvious with the concrete parapet of the bridge cluttered with branches and the ravines on the river banks littered with uprooted trees A glass factory by the bridge has announced on social media it will relocate after being ruined by the current most of the houses in the rural area stand in ruins “May’s flood was much higher than we’d seen in the past it was 2.2 meters above the highest flood in history it has exceeded the September flood by another two meters The river rose 24 meters above its normal level,” says Sandro Herrmann a small town on the banks of the river that gives the valley its name more than 300 houses and 1,400 people were directly affected—nearly 60 percent of its 2,500 residents “These floods have shown that the existing master plan is not enough It’s not just the riverside population that lives in the flood zones where 30 families suffered from landslides,” he reported another destruction site continues to cause inconvenience to residents and workers Carried away by the current of the Forqueta river the bridge between Lajeado and Arroio do Meio has become a chunk of concrete slumped onto riverbank it was closed off and a pedestrian-only crossing was set up by an army battalion no more goods come [to Arroio do Meio,] so we cross to get supplies and come back,” said saleswoman Simone Feil Hundreds of workers who live in one town and work in the other have to take transport to the river and cross the improvised footbridge—no more than a wooden walkway supported by a row of boats The flow of people on the platform is hectic but in just under an hour hundreds of locals were seen making their way across Since the footbridge is a narrow and one-way passage the groups on each bank are only allowed to go alternately and children find the crossing even more challenging Young student Letícia Elegeda was one of the people going over the footbridge from Arroio do Meio The low-lying neighborhoods by the river no longer exist,” she said in the flood of September last year—the worst in history until now—she and her parents were forced to move to a higher district for protection Elegeda and her parents only had a few hours to gather their clothes and some pieces of work equipment and camp outside a neighbor’s house “We thought it wasn’t going to take our whole house everyone woke up to see the water had come all the way to the yard next door to us so we went to other neighbors further up the street We were getting stranded in our own neighborhood but we were scared and took shelter for a few days in a nursery under construction Elegeda said she was now going to live in the neighboring Venâncio Aires Rio Grande do Sul state Governor Eduardo Leite announced the construction of a new bridge between Lajeado and Arroio do Meio which is expected to cost around BRL 14 million and take more than 180 days to build a second pedestrian footbridge will have to be installed to ensure simultaneous crossings Student Leonardo Friedrich said the floods left a trail of destruction in his hometown Arroio do Meio adding that he even avoids watching the videos circulating online “The accounts that come to us say there’s nothing left but the videos I’ve watched the least were those recorded in Arroio do Meio Seeing everything in ruins in a place you’re well familiar with is heart-rending I have friends who’ve been affected in all towns nearby and they all say the same thing: in several places where the water had never reached this time the water went all the way up to the roof.” The main cause for concern now is the economic future of the region “We wonder how businesses are going to survive They’re going to have to relocate whole neighborhoods I can’t say whether the downtown area of Arroio do Meio will be able to stay there any longer you’re going to be disrupted in other ways We see people suffering,” said physical therapist Mariana Cásper basic sanitation… It’s hard to think of what to work on first In the view of Colinas Mayor Sandro Hermann the economic future of his town is uncertain since local businesses and industries were still recovering from the September floods “We don’t know how businesses are going to cope and we still haven’t managed to tackle the issue of financing for businesses affected by the September flood so it’s difficult for entrepreneurs to find the strength to get their industry or service back on track,” Herrmann stated He hopes that support will arrive more quickly this time around 700 thousand micro and small businesses were directly affected by the floods In the agricultural area of Vale do Taquari “People don’t want to go back anymore; this flood has shattered people’s hearts,” the mayor said the Evangelical Lutheran Church has become a distribution center for food All locals have to do is take what they need Some of the donations come from the Leopoldo Jacobsen school The president of the Corvos e Colina Lutheran community is Marcos Roberto “I managed to save my animals; I spent the whole night on my boat We had to live in the church for five days,” he recounted *Rádio Nacional reporter Gabriel Brum contributed to this article O endereço abaixo não existe na globo.com where flooding has brought widespread devastation a new challenge has emerged: the spread of misinformation As communities grapple with the aftermath of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul false information on social media platforms has added another layer of complexity to relief efforts ranging from rumors about rescue operations to false claims about government aid distribution hinders the timely and effective provision of assistance to those in urgent need with some claiming that official agencies are not rescuing people in the southernmost state That red tape is causing delays in providing essentials like food Another rumor suggests that authorities are hiding many deaths say that unknown people behind these misleading posts are using the crisis to make people lose trust in the government expressed disappointment that many ignored official warnings believing instead the social media gossip that government alerts were just politicians trying to scare people During this crisis, the Associated Press reported that many individuals chose not to evacuate their homes Vanazzi expressed concern that defending against misinformation often consumes more time than assisting the community Over the last two weeks, floods have caused the deaths of at least 149 individuals, with over 100 still unaccounted for, as reported by state authorities on Wednesday. The disaster has displaced over 600,000 residents from their homes. The army and local agencies have deployed around 31,000 soldiers, police, and other personnel to rescue over 69,000 individuals and 10,000 animals. They have also transported tons of aid via air and boats. Brazil's federal government has pledged to allocate nearly 51 billion reais ($10 billion) towards recovery efforts. Additionally, they will offer financial support to farmers and small businesses and temporarily suspend the state's 11-billion-reais annual debt service. The military command expressed concern about these reports, stating they don't match the actual situation. They clarified that many soldiers have also been affected by the floods, with some losing their homes and still working to assist the affected population. Responding to concerns raised by military officials, the Brazilian government is urging social media platforms to take action against the spread of false information, according to Attorney General Jorge Messias. False information is making it difficult for aid workers to operate effectively. Residents have criticized government officials for their perceived sluggish response and have threatened to publicly shame them online. Mayors of Sao Leopoldo and Canoas reported instances where locals confronted firefighters, alleging they hadn't rescued individuals and pets promptly. Additionally, individuals posing as volunteers entered a warehouse belonging to the state's civil defense agency last week. ⓒ 2025 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage! landslides and several rivers breaking their banks As many as 7,000 people have been evacuated from their homes A total of 23 towns and cities in the state have been affected by floods and heavy rainfall that began on Friday 23rd August Many areas have seen more than the monthly average of rain fall in just a few days Several major state roads have been blocked by landslides or flood water Brazil’s Defesa Civil reported that the rivers Antas, Paranhana, Caí, Taquari and Sapucaia Arroyo, all burst their banks after heavy rainfall, resulting in flood waters inundating the homes and streets. Some reports claim the River Taquari is 11 metres above normal levels One man is reported missing in San Francisco de Paula after he tried to cross a dam in his car and was swept away by the raging flood waters Local rescue services are still searching for the man Another person has been reported injured in a separate incident as a result of the floods Floods and landslides recently hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2008 and 2011 as many as 40,000 people were affected by flooding and mudslides after torrential rain Hundreds were made homeless and around 12 people died A state of emergency was declared in 7 cities in the state In November 2008 Rio Grande do Sul was hit hard by flooding although the bordering state of Santa Catarina suffered worse where 50 people died and 20,000 were left homeless Sources: Globo.com Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList um dos municípios atingidos pelas chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul - Vitor Shimomura/ Brasil de Fato The persistence of flooding and rain, with a cyclone and frost, paints a picture in which, more than a month after the beginning of the biggest climate tragedy in the Brazilian southernmost state With billions in funds in an election year the reconstruction of the state of Rio Grande do Sul is already underway “This is the drama of the moment we are living through,” sums up Tarson Núñez activist and researcher at the Observatory of the Metropolis in Rio Grande do Sul.  “Governments and the private sector already have the recipe and the tools in hand They just need to get their hands on the money which is already available,” says Núñez think about what we want from this reconstruction,” he argues.  the Rio Grande do Sul government mentioned BRL 19 billion (US$ 3,635 billion) to rebuild the state Experts such as economist Luís Otávio Leal and consultant Claudio Frischtak told GZH that the figure would be even higher: between BRL 85 billion and BRL 90 billion (respectively In its first package of measures, the Lula government (Workers’ Party) announced BRL 50.9 billion (US$ 9,738 billion) for Rio Grande do Sul especially through low-interest credit lines and tax deferrals is advocating the approval of a “war budget” sociologist and professor at the Natural Disaster Monitoring and Alert Center (CEMADEN “disaster capitalism has manifested itself in Porto Alegre.” Using a term coined by Canadian journalist Naomi Klein in her book The Shock Doctrine Marchezini refers to private and public managers using shock experiences – such as catastrophes – to advance business opportunities in a way that would not be possible in normal situations.  In the case of Rio Grande do Sul, this option is seen in the hiring, by the government of Eduardo Leite (Brazilian Social Democracy Party), of US consulting firms such as Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) and McKinsey this poses another problem besides benefiting private interests.  If reconstruction is guided by the logic of the market the cities will deepen the development model that caused the tragedy in the first place “It's always the way we occupy the territory that generates the consequences of what the rain is actually revealing,” Marchezini summarizes “The clouds didn't create the catastrophe,” says Tarson “The rain might not have had such a huge impact if the fields of the Serra [escarpment] had not been flattened to plant soybeans and made the water fall faster,” he explains “A large part of the disaster resulted from an economic model that causes this process.” “That's why reconstruction cannot be guided by the same political and economic groups that caused the degradation seen in recent years,” Marchezini worries With a team from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar, in Portuguese), Victor visited places like Teresópolis (Rio de Janeiro state), Barreiros (Pernambuco state) and Ilhotas (Santa Catarina state) after climatic tragedies, in a research project that resulted in the book Abandonados nos Desastres (Abandoned in Disasters “We saw situations that we are seeing in Rio Grande do Sul happening very fast,” he says.  “The moment could be used to take advantage of large-scale federal resources to think about reconstruction from a new paradigm centered on people and not profit,” observes Núñez for whom “this is the fundamental question posed today." “I fear that the drama of the situation will serve as a kind of smokescreen so that we don't discuss the ultimate causes of this calamity,” he warns.  McKinsey “spreading American capitalism” Last Tuesday (28), the “cooperation agreement” between the state government and McKinsey & Company was published in the Official Gazette of Rio Grande do Sul founded in the US in 1929 and whose work can be seen in at least 60 countries will “support” the government “in managing the crisis” caused by the “heavy rains”.  will be “planning for the re-establishment of economic activities” “identifying levers to support the productive sector” and “mapping sources of financial resources.” The work will be carried out for 60 days without payment In the book The Firm: The Inside Story of McKinsey The World’s Most Controversial Management Consultancy journalist Duff McDonald states that the company helped “companies and governments create and maintain many of the corporate behaviors that have shaped the world we live in.”  Becoming “an indispensable part” of high-level decisions McKinsey helped “invent what we see as American capitalism and spread it to every corner of the world.”    “Historically, clients have turned to McKinsey to help them solve problems. Over the decades, the consultancy has been responsible for advising on everything from mass layoffs to acquisitions and new business possibilities,” an article in Exame Alvarez & Marsal was first hired by Porto Alegre's mayor Sebastião Melo (Brazilian Democratic Movement) The services would have been offered voluntarily by Pedro Bortolotto who was born in Porto Alegre and is currently one of the company's directors in Brazil Melo justified it by saying “Because I can decide."  Four days later, Leite followed suit. The “donation of services free of charge” to the state government was signed on May 14 will last for 30 days and can be renewed.  A&M made headlines for having employed former judge Sergio Moro in 2020 after receiving BRL 65 million (over US$ 1,23 million) to judicially manage companies targeted by Operation Car Wash The possible conflict of interest is being investigated by the General Accounting Office (TCU).  The company has already left its mark on the state of Rio Grande do Sul itself it was hired to carry out a financial assessment of the Rio Grande do Sul Basic Sanitation Company (Corsan it provided its services to Aegea Saneamento for BRL 4.1 billion (around US$ 780,8 billion)l won the privatization of the former state-owned company.  after 80% of the city of Louisiana was submerged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that is one of the main works on A&M's CV.  “Among those who saw an opportunity in the New Orleans flooding was Milton Friedman the great guru of the movement for unfettered capitalism,” describes Naomi Klein in her book The Shock Doctrine “Friedman's radical idea was that instead of spending part of the billions of dollars of reconstruction money remaking and improving the pre-existing public school system in New Orleans the government should provide vouchers to families which they could spend at private institutions – many of them for-profit ones – that would be subsidized by the state,” he says and another 318 went into private administration The 4,700 teachers who were members of the union an organization affiliated with Friedman's thinking expressed its enthusiasm because ‘Katrina had accomplished in one day what Louisiana education reformers had been trying to do for years’,” says Klein was sentenced to ten years in prison for fraud bribery and money laundering during reconstruction He had to return $585,000 to the public coffers “Today New Orleans has 200,000 fewer inhabitants than before the hurricane The entire area of the city's historic district inhabited by the Black and poor population Housing has become too expensive for its original inhabitants The environment was gentrified,” describes Tarson Núñez.   “Porto Alegre flooded fundamentally because of a failure to maintain flood prevention equipment many areas were flooded,” points out the researcher from the Observatory of the Metropolis next to the Gremio arena [Gremio is a soccer team] there is a huge area of low-income housing whose houses the government couldn't remove because people living there got their right to the land through collective struggle The real estate market has been eyeing these areas for years with the flooding and the destruction of the houses what is A&M going to suggest?” asks Núñez Another consulting giant company working in the aftermath of the disaster in Rio Grande do Sul is the British firm Ernst & Young (EY) no contracts have been made official by being published in the state’s Official Gazette.  the company said it was “called in by the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul” and will “provide support in designing the strategy for raising and using the resources needed to promote the reconstruction of the state.” The consultancy on a pro bono basis” from the signing of the contract but they did not respond by the time this news story was published “I find it ‘strange’ that a consultancy company is willing to work without being paid for its services They operate according to the logic of the market and act in the contractor's interests These consultancies are not naïve,” says geographer Claudia Marcela Orduz Rojas Eduardo Leite's government told Brasil de Fato that “the nature of the partnership with the consultancy companies is the same as that with universities and academia They are partners for the reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul who will provide support for carrying out the projects listed in the Rio Grande Plan." “Everything happens very quickly and is intertwined because the shock doctrine ‘recipe," drawn up by American economist Milton Friedman has already been tested several times,” Rojas explains.  In the disputes over the direction of disaster management speed is one of the many aspects that give an advantage to sectors that are not a contaminated body or a missing friend.  “The shock treatment allows for the gradual elimination of the public sphere (progressive privatization of strategic sectors) the guarantee of total freedom for corporations (which will see their income grow) and the maximum reduction in social spending The proposal is so radical and harmful to most of the population that it can only be applied in exceptional situations,” Rojas said Claudia studied the collapse of the Samarco tailings dam (Vale / BHP Billiton) which killed 19 people in 2015 and dumped mineral waste into the Doce River Basin in the state of Minas Gerais this was the “first major experiment in disaster capitalism in Brazil” it was only possible as a result of three shock therapies: first anti-democratic and unpopular economic program” to repair the damage which the imposition of collective torture mechanisms on those affected by the tragedy to “reduce social spending” and “neutralize resistance”.  Asked what lessons the episode can offer on how to deal with the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul Rojas points out that “ private companies cannot lead the reparation and reconstruction processes." misery and vulnerable people have become the world’s most valuable commodities,” says the researcher and misery seems to be the sole objective of the ‘disaster industry’ which has an unconditional ally: the state,” she says The Secretariat for Reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul created by Governor Eduardo Leite on May 17 and headed by Pedro Capeluppi None of them deal with environmental issues or climate emergencies They are Projects for reconstruction; Structuring projects; Partnerships and concessions; and Market intelligence.  For Victor Marchezini, a consequence of disaster capitalism that “maybe was inaugurated in Brazil by Rio Grande do Sul is that, although it mobilizes civil society to collect donations, it also becomes a source of money for celebrities who go to the scene of the disaster, gain followers, etc. Or even [spread] fake news Tarson Núnez saw the building where he lives in Porto Alegre surrounded by water for four days but it wasn't in a Civil Defense boat or a Military Police boat It was a volunteer boat,” he says.  “One element that this tragedy reveals is the enormous capacity for empathy solidarity and popular self-organization in our society,” he points out “It wasn't the state that organized the volunteers and the state joined in afterwards,” says Tarson.    It has also awakened “a sense of urgency to collaborate” among researchers and educational institutions: “The [climate] emergency has catalyzed a movement that had been dormant People with intellectual and technical skills are now working to influence this debate,” says Tarson Núñez.  “Solidarity kitchens are amazing But all these initiatives emerging from the bottom up quite solidly and with technical capacity are scattered And they need to be unified,” says Tarson environmental tragedies will become increasingly frequent and thus “the next phase of disaster capitalism will become more complex and sophisticated.”  “The ‘disaster infrastructure’ will be available to anyone who can pay from helicopter rescues to drinking water and beds in shelters The disaster economy is not only growing but is widely assimilated by market dynamics the bet on capital is doubled,” says Rojas.  “it's crucial to establish and strengthen a broad coalition of people It is essential to reframe the idea and meaning of wealth It is vital to ensure that power and knowledge na 2ª edição do Diário Oficial do Estado (DOE) de terça-feira (21/5) que atualiza a lista de municípios em estado de calamidade pública e em situação de emergência a medida foi tomada a partir de requerimentos e novas informações trazidas pelos municípios sobre as áreas afetadas e sobre a extensão dos danos ocorridos Também foi motivada pela ampliação do acesso pelo Estado ampliando as informações sobre as consequências do evento meteorológico registrado entre o fim de abril e o início de maio no Rio Grande do Sul Além da reclassificação da intensidade do desastre também houve a inclusão de municípios na declaração estadual foram identificados 46 municípios em estado de calamidade e 320 em situação de emergência o Decreto 57.626 entra em vigor na data da publicação (21/5) retroagindo seus efeitos a 13 de maio de 2024