In May 1941, the waters surrounding the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, reached a level of 4.76 meters (16 feet; 190 inches) in height and later flooded the Porto Alegre Public Market, Rua da Praia, and the city center.[1] The flood destroyed a large part of the Riacho Railway, which connected the center with the neighborhoods in the southern city.[2] It led to the canalization of Arroio Dilúvio, which had been started in 1939, by the city government and the federal government.[3]
Causes[edit]
The flood was caused by inner-city rainfall and southern winds.[4]
From April to May 1941, part of Guaíba was in intense rainy weather for 22 days. The water from Guaíba drains into the lake, and the flood was later followed by heavy rains and winds. At the time, precipitation totalled 791 millimetres (2.6 ft; 31 in). The recurrence time for this flood is around 370 years.[5]
Damage and casualties[edit]
At least one person has drowned in the flood. Early reporting estimated that Porto Alegre had 1,000 houses flooded, with 400 houses underwater in Alegrete.[6] Nearby crops in Cachoeira were damaged, and three farmers committed suicide in the municipality for unknown reasons. In Porto Alegre, around 70,000 people were left homeless out of 270,000 people at the time.
Response[edit]
The American Red Cross allocated US$10,000 to those affected.[2] One bomber flown by R. E. Koon of the United States Army Air Corps flew to the location with US$5,000 worth of serums for the victims.[7] The serum was donated by the American Red Cross and is intended to prevent a potential epidemic hazard that was indirectly caused by the flooding. The serum consists of typhoid antitoxins, diphtheria antitoxins, and anti-dysentery toxin for around 16,000 people.[8]
In 1971–1974, in response to the flood, the Mauá Wall was built by the Departamento Nacional de Obras e Saneamento (DNOS).
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Porto Alegre protegida contra enchentes como a de 1941" [Porto Alegre protected against floods like the one in 1941]. Prefeitura de Porto Alegre (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 May 2011. The Flood of 41. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b Huyer, Andre. "HUYER, Andre. A Ferrovia do Riacho. Porto Alegre, UFRGS, 2010" [HUYER, Andre. The Riacho Railway. Porto Alegre, UFRGS, 2010]. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (in Brazilian Portuguese).
- ^ Burin, Carolina Wolff (November 2008). "Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul" [Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Douglas Vieira de Aguiar as advisor. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2023.
- ^ Allasia, D. G.; Tassi, R.; Bemfica, D.; Goldenfum, J. A. (March 2015). "Decreasing flood risk perception in Porto Alegre – Brazil and its influence on water resource management decisions" (PDF). Open Access PIAHS. 370. Copernicus Publications (published 11 June 2015): 190. doi:10.5194/piahs-370-189-2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Características topográficas e cheias na cidade" [Topographic features and floods in the city]. Prefeitura de Porto Alegre (in Brazilian Portuguese). A enchente de 1941. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "20,000 Flooded Out in Brazil". The Montreal Gazette. Vol. CLXX, 107. 3 May 1941. p. 48.
- ^ "Wings Over the World". The Virgin Islands Daily News. 16 October 1941. Wings of Peace.
- ^ "U.S. Bomber Goes On Mercy Flight". St. Petersburg Times. 15 May 1941. p. 8. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024.