Brazilian municipalities and Santa Catarina state plan El Niño response

The municipality of Contenda (Brazil) organized a public lecture titled “El Niño: Impacts, Risks and Prevention Measures.” The event, held by the city’s Secretariat of Promotion and Social Assistance, brought together students, local officials, and community members. Everson Moreira Santos, director of Contenda’s Civil Defense, emphasized the need for public understanding and coordinated action to reduce damage from the climate phenomenon. The lecture was led by Captain Julian Gomes Waldrigues of the State Civil Defense, who detailed the science of El Niño and recommended integrated planning across municipal sectors.

In the neighboring state of Santa Catarina, the State Secretariat of Protection and Civil Defense convened a Crisis Management Committee meeting on 22 May to align preventive and response strategies after the official confirmation of El Niño. Chaired by Colonel BM Fabiano de Souza, the session involved state secretaries, security forces, and technical teams, and followed a decree signed by Governor Jorginho Mello that declared a climatic alert for the state. Participants reviewed vulnerability assessments, discussed satellite‑based communication options, and prepared to update the State Contingency Plan ahead of the scheduled Group of Coordinated Actions meeting on 1 July.