The judiciary has ruled that the Municipal Government of Manaus must adopt public policies aimed at disaster monitoring and risk prevention in the city's high-risk areas. This ruling, confirmed on February 20, 2026, follows a request from the Public Ministry of the State of Amazonas (MPAM) and comes after the municipality faced rejection of its appeals against the original decision. The judge, Ronnie Frank Torres Stone, upheld the need for urgent action to protect residents living in areas classified as 'high' and 'very high' risk.

Under the ruling, the city has 180 days from the notification in the compliance phase to present an engineering plan that outlines feasible solutions to reduce these risks. If the proposed construction works cannot be developed, the municipality is obligated to remove or relocate residents to safer locations. This action serves to prioritize the safety of families who have been living in precarious conditions and includes provisions for their integration into social assistance programs, ensuring their needs are met during this transition.

This legal decision underscores the responsibilities of local governance in managing urban risk and addressing the serious threat of landslides, particularly after incidents like the one in 2025 that resulted in a family's burial under debris. It reflects broader societal concerns regarding housing safety in vulnerable areas and the imperative for proactive measures to mitigate potential disasters, as well as the role of judicial oversight in enforcing effective governance and community welfare strategies.