2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods impact over 2.3 million households

A special IBGE survey released on 1 April shows that the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul affected 6.33 million residents, with 2,328,093 households suffering damage. More than half (55.5 %) reported structural damage to their homes, while utilities were disrupted for up to two‑thirds of households—water, electricity and internet. Health was reported as worsened by 67.5 % of respondents, and 81,272 homes were classified as destroyed. The survey highlighted that lower‑income families were most likely to relocate, with 14.6 % of respondents moving and 37.9 % citing the floods as the reason.

Separately, the state’s Civil Defense issued an alert on 29 March for the northern region, warning of 70–130 mm of rain and winds up to 90 km/h through early April. Authorities deployed disaster‑management teams, water trucks, hygiene kits, blankets and generators to the municipalities of Erechim, Frederico Westphalen and Sarandi, aiming to provide rapid assistance and prevent further loss of life.