Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Brazil Flood Relief
May 2024 – September 2024
In response to historic flooding in southern Brazil, AH&H mobilized to provide immediate relief and support to affected families in Rio Grande do Sul, focusing on muck-and-gut, debris removal and sanitation efforts.
Disaster Profile
Severe flooding struck south Brazil and parts of Uruguay, leaving 46 of 96 neighborhoods in Porto Alegre
After unprecedented rainfall began on April 29, severe flooding struck south Brazil and parts of Uruguay, leaving 46 of 96 neighborhoods in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, completely submerged. The disastrous flooding resulted in 169 casualties, displaced nearly 600,000 people and affected over two million inhabitants, marking Brazil’s worst flooding in over 80 years. Infrastructure, including many roads and bridges, was heavily damaged, making access to and across Porto Alegre unpredictable.
Our Response
The team completed mucking, gutting, sanitizing and clearing debris from 80 flood-damaged homes
All Hands and Hearts (AH&H) acted swiftly in response to the devastating flooding in South Brazil. Our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) was on the ground within a week, marking our first relief effort in the country. AH&H provided relief to individuals and families grappling with the flood’s aftermath, taking immediate action to assist with the extensive need for mud removal and other cleanup efforts. Until the end of September 2024, we maximized our impact in the region with local organizations by supporting volunteer coordination, meal preparation and building activities to ensure efficient, community-driven relief efforts.
After nearly four months of recovery efforts in south Brazil, AH&H is concluding its on the ground work. The team completed mucking, gutting, sanitizing and clearing debris from 80 flood-damaged homes, many of which were completely submerged during the flooding.
In collaboration with local relief organization Sailors, AH&H responded to a critical community need: building beds for families still sleeping on the floors of their flood-ravaged homes. The team built 1,015 beds — far exceeding expectations. Sailors even delivered beds by boat to isolated islands severely impacted by the floods.
At IMAIS (Mais Kitchen), AH&H facilitated 448 hours of community engagement, providing psychosocial support through art and English lessons for youth and adults.
