# Public health emergency due to rains and floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: an ecological study, 2024

## TL;DR

This study examines the public health impacts of heavy rains and floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2024, highlighting regional disparities and the need for targeted emergency policies.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed regional analysis of public health impacts from the 2024 floods in Brazil, emphasizing the need for territorialized disaster response strategies.

## Key findings

- 91.3% of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul declared an emergency due to the floods.
- Regions R1 and R2 experienced the highest rates of homelessness, with 116 and 92.9 per thousand inhabitants, respectively.
- The spatial distribution of affected municipalities shows clustering in regions R1, R2, and R8.

## Abstract

To characterize the public health impacts resulting from the natural disaster caused by heavy rainfall and flooding in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, in 2024.

This was a descriptive ecological study covering the period between April 29 and May 31, 2024. The units of analysis were the municipalities and the nine functional planning regions. The following were analyzed: number and proportion of municipalities with an emergency declaration; deaths, ill individuals, and injured individuals per 100,000 inhabitants; and displaced and homeless people per thousand inhabitants.

Of the 497 municipalities in RS, 91.3% declared an emergency, with emphasis on regions R2 and R5, where all municipalities were affected. Regions R1 and R2 were the most impacted in terms of human harm, particularly regarding homelessness, reaching 116 and 92.9 per thousand inhabitants, respectively. Emergencies were more frequent in regions R6, R7, and R5. The spatial distribution reveals that the most affected municipalities are geographically close, especially in regions R1, R2, and R8.

The unequal impacts across regions highlight the urgency of territorialized public policies, focused on prevention and emergency response. Strengthening risk governance and public health must occupy a central position in the climate agenda, promoting equity and resilience in the face of disasters.

Caracterizar os impactos em saúde pública decorrentes do desastre natural ocasionado por chuvas intensas e inundações no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), no Brasil, em 2024.

Trata-se de um estudo ecológico descritivo, compreendendo o período entre 29 de abril e 31 de maio de 2024. As unidades de análise foram os municípios e as nove regiões funcionais de planejamento. Foram analisados: número e proporção de municípios com declaração de emergência; óbitos, enfermos e feridos por 100 mil habitantes; e desalojados e desabrigados a cada mil habitantes.

Dos 497 municípios do RS, 91,3% declararam emergência, com destaque para as regiões R2 e R5, onde todos os municípios foram afetados. As regiões R1 e R2 foram as mais impactadas em termos de danos humanos, com destaque para os desabrigados, chegando a 116 e 92,9 por mil habitantes, respectivamente. A situação de emergência foi mais frequente nas regiões R6, R7 e R5. A distribuição espacial revela que os municípios mais afetados estão geograficamente próximos, especialmente nas regiões R1, R2 e R8.

Os impactos desiguais entre as regiões ressaltam a urgência de políticas públicas territorializadas, com foco na prevenção e resposta às emergências. Fortalecer a governança de riscos e a saúde pública deve ocupar posição central na agenda climática, promovendo equidade e resiliência diante dos desastres.