Porto Alegre raises alert as Guaíba River nears flood level

The Guaíba River in Porto Alegre has risen above the alert threshold of 2.50 m, reaching 2.58 m at the Cais Mauá monitoring station. The city's Defense Civil elevated the hydrological warning to an orange alert and warned that a further rise above 2.60 m could trigger a flood alert. Strong southern winds are expected to cause brief spikes in water level, increasing the risk of localized flooding, especially in the Arquipélago district and the island neighborhoods of Pintada, Marinheiros and Flores.

Authorities have set up command posts on the islands and in vulnerable neighborhoods, deployed volunteer jeep crews, and distributed bottled water and animal feed to residents. Monitoring continues around the clock, with the Defense Civil urging the public to stay informed via official channels. While water levels have begun a slow recession, streets on the islands remain partially inundated, but no evacuations have been ordered.

The situation follows a series of high water events in the region, with multiple tributary rivers (Taquari, Caí, Gravataí, Sinos) also exceeding their flood thresholds. Residents are advised to avoid low‑lying areas and to follow safety instructions as the river stabilises.