Rocinha records extreme rainfall, triggers landslide warnings in Rio

Between 12:00 GMT on 15 June and the afternoon of 16 June, the Rocinha community in Rio de Janeiro recorded 254.6 mm of rain, more than double the historic June average of 108.5 mm and the third‑highest 24‑hour total since the Alerta Rio system began in 1997. The intense precipitation saturated the soil, prompting the municipal Civil Defense to activate the neighbourhood’s seven sirens twice on 16 June, warning residents of an elevated landslide risk.

A burst pipe belonging to the water utility Águas do Rio on the Estrada da Gávea caused a landslide that temporarily closed the road. Emergency crews from the city's operations centre, the municipal cleaning company (Comlurb), and the Civil Defense cleared about 70 tonnes of soil with 15 trucks, three loaders and 50 street‑cleaning workers. No injuries or property damage were reported. Similar heavy rain fell on neighbouring districts – Jardim Botânico, Laranjeiras, Vidigal, Urca and Copacabana – and a separate minor landslide was noted in the Salgueiro community of Tijuca. Authorities advised residents to avoid flooded or unstable areas, to stay away from trees during storms, and to report structural cracks to the Civil Defense. Forecasts indicate a gradual weakening of the rain band with clearer weather expected from 19 June onward.