Deadly Petropolis Mudslide: Poverty and Climate Disaster
Aerial image shows destruction caused by the mudslide on Morro da Oficina, a favela in Petropolis, Brazil. Photo: Ricardo Moraes/ REUTERS
On February 15, rapid waters swept houses and cars off Morro da Oficina, a favela in Petropolis, Brazil, just 40 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. The city bore more rain in one day than in all of February–about 10 inches of rain in under 24 hours. 176 were found dead, with more than 100 still missing.
Search and clean-up efforts continue while constant downpours hamper emergency teams. 500 firefighters were deployed to assist the rescue, and President Bolsonaro pledged federal assistance to help the population rebuild the area. Many have been displaced by the disaster, with over 900 people housed in schools and shelters and 400 left homeless.
Brazil is experiencing a violent rainy season, with over 40 people killed this year due to flooding and landslides before the Petropolis disaster. The heavy rains threaten to delay harvests and mining operations throughout Rio. Climate change is causing more intense rainfall, with storms expected to only intensify with time.
A closer look at the destruction caused by the mudslide. Rubble from houses remains buried in the mud. Photo: Photo: Ricardo Moraes/ REUTERS
A closer look at history reveals that the deadly Petropolis landslide is not isolated. Back in 2011, more than 900 people died in a series of floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the same region, deemed as the worst natural disaster in Brazil's history.
Since then, Brazil has implemented a Community-Based Alert and Alarm System utilizing rain gauges and sirens. Civil defense is informed of imminent weather threats and communicates with favela community leaders if action is necessary. Yet recent findings reveal that paid natural disaster training programs for favela community leaders have been discontinued due to budget cuts. The communities most prone to and affected by the disaster cannot evaluate their level of vulnerability.
Today, the number estimated to live at risk of mudslides, floods, and flash floods in the Brazilian Southeast is around 3.65 million. Why are so many communities at risk? And why do people live in high-risk areas?
Favelas are communities of squatters that occupy vacant land and construct shanties from salvaged or stolen materials. The neighborhoods often consist of the rural poor who have been excluded from the nation's unequal land system. Without access to formal housing, people build on vacant land without proper permission and are often not fully aware of the dangers. Favelas are unregulated and neglected by the government, often lacking basic infrastructures such as electricity, sewage, and electricity. Geographical conditions of favelas make them vulnerable to landslides.
The absence of urban planning and construction of affordable housing leaves the lower class responsible for building their own homes and communities. Thus, favelas emerge as a housing solution for the lower class. In Brazil, black workers are paid 36 percent less than non-black workers, regardless of education or previous experience. Rio has a history of racial segregation, with some South Zones of the city up to 90 percent white while black people are concentrated in the urban periphery and favelas.
The English translation of favela is shanty-town or slum. The language used to describe the communities can perpetuate stereotypes; in this case, favelas are dirty, poor, rampant with disease, criminals, and drug dealers. The stigmatization and dehumanization only contribute to these communities' neglect.
Worldwide, the poorest are the group most impacted by climate disasters. Individuals neglected by the government and lacking support, built these Petropolis favelas, moving to the mountains to access affordable housing and build their own community. They now face disaster and displacement in the face of record-breaking rainfall that is only expected to worsen as climate change continues.