Expected rainfall for a month in 12 hours causes flooding in Ubatuba
Heavy rains in Ubatuba, Brazil, led to significant flooding over the weekend, as the city received a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours.
Ubatuba, a coastal city in SΓ£o Paulo, experienced severe flooding due to unexpected heavy rainfall from Saturday night into Sunday morning. The state's Civil Defense reported that 126 millimeters of rain fell in just 12 hours, an amount typically expected for the entire month. This sudden surge in precipitation caused the levels of local rivers and waterfalls to rise quickly, inundating several neighborhoods. One severely affected area was SertΓ£o da Quina, where videos shared on social media showed water levels rising up to house gates and in some instances surpassing property walls.
Additionally, reports emerged of residents being stranded on the rooftops of their homes as floodwaters engulfed the local area, although the Civil Defense has yet to confirm these accounts. The flooding also impacted infrastructure, with a section of the Oswaldo Cruz highway becoming submerged, though it remained open to traffic. As a precaution, the municipal government issued alerts, advising residents to avoid bridges and other water-affected structures.
Local authorities are closely monitoring the situation as the community grapples with the aftermath of the flooding. Residents are concerned about the potential for more rain and the impact this could have on recovery efforts. In response, the city government is working to ensure that the public is informed and safe during this challenging weather event, especially as schools were impacted and local services may be disrupted due to the flooding incidents.