Brazil expands rainfall monitoring network to mitigate flood risks

Brazil is expanding its natural disaster alert network through the installation of new automatic rain gauges provided by the National Center for Monitoring and Natural Disaster Alerts (Cemaden).

In the state of Acre, 34 new devices have been installed across 13 municipalities between 2024 and 2026. This expansion places Acre ahead of several other states, including Sergipe, Rondônia, and Amazonas, in terms of new monitoring units. The equipment measures rainfall volume and transmits real-time data to improve the reliability of alerts for floods and inundations, particularly as authorities monitor the effects of El Niño.

In Pará de Minas, the Municipal Civil Defense has installed three automatic rain gauges in the east, central, and west regions of the municipality. These devices follow the course of the Ribeirão Paciência to monitor rainfall levels in different urban sectors. Local authorities noted that recording volumes between 30 and 35 millimeters can serve as a critical reference point for issuing preventive alerts to residents in high-risk areas.