Rio Acre Floods as Heatwave Strains Southeast Water and Power

Overview

• Rio Acre reached about 14.40 m on Dec. 27, surpassing the 14.0 m overflow threshold and flooding parts of Rio Branco, with 15 neighborhoods affected and municipal shelters opened.
• Civil Defense reported 13 families evacuated with official assistance, 10 housed in a school shelter, after intense rains caused urban flooding, landslides, downed poles and a ruptured roadway.
• Rainfall in Rio Branco totaled 171 mm on Friday and 586.3 mm from Dec. 1–26, 118% above the monthly norm, after Inmet’s orange alert on Dec. 26 followed by a yellow alert on Dec. 27.
• Greater São Paulo’s reservoir “useful volume” fell to 26.4%, keeping contingency bands in effect with pressure reductions by Sabesp as residents reported dry taps in higher areas during the heatwave.
• Convective storms on Dec. 27 put São Paulo under flood alert and cut power to roughly 160,000+ addresses per Enel, while in Rio de Janeiro the MPF and public defenders gave authorities 24 hours to detail cooling and hydration measures for vulnerable groups.