January 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides
Encyclopedia
The January 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides was an extreme weather
event that affected the State of Rio de Janeiro
in Brazil
in the first days of January 2010. At least 85 people died, with at least 29 people in the Hotel Sankey after it was destroyed by landslide
s, and many more have been injured. More than 4,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes.
The worst affected municipality was Angra dos Reis
, about 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) southwest of the city of Rio de Janeiro
. At least 35 people were killed at a resort on Ilha Grande
: about forty people were staying in the hotel which was buried under a mudslide, and the death toll is expected to rise further. Brazil's only functioning nuclear power plant
, Central Nuclear Almirante Álvaro Alberto, is also located within the municipality: plans were made for a temporary shutdown, as blocked roads would make any evacuation difficult or impossible in the event of an incident at the plant.
In Rio Grande do Sul
, at least seven people died and 20 went missing after a bridge collapsed due to heavy rains.
Around 60 tons of dead fish washed up in a lagoon
in Rio de Janeiro
beginning in January, possibly as a result of local ocean anoxia caused by algal bloom
s triggered by increased eutrophication
from the excess run-off produced by the flooding.
Extreme weather
Extreme weather includes weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution, especially severe or unseasonal weather. The most commonly used definition of extreme weather is based on an event's climatological distribution. Extreme weather occurs only 5% or less of the time...
event that affected the State of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in the first days of January 2010. At least 85 people died, with at least 29 people in the Hotel Sankey after it was destroyed by landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s, and many more have been injured. More than 4,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes.
The worst affected municipality was Angra dos Reis
Angra dos Reis
Angra dos Reis is a Brazilian municipality located in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro state. It is located at an altitude of 6 meters and includes in its territory 365 offshore islands. It was discovered on January 6, 1502, but has been under continual settlement since 1556. Its population...
, about 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) southwest of the city of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. At least 35 people were killed at a resort on Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is an island located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, and part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis. The island is largely undeveloped and noted for its scenic beauty, which includes tropical beaches, luxuriant vegetation and a rugged landscape. The land area is...
: about forty people were staying in the hotel which was buried under a mudslide, and the death toll is expected to rise further. Brazil's only functioning nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
, Central Nuclear Almirante Álvaro Alberto, is also located within the municipality: plans were made for a temporary shutdown, as blocked roads would make any evacuation difficult or impossible in the event of an incident at the plant.
In Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, at least seven people died and 20 went missing after a bridge collapsed due to heavy rains.
Around 60 tons of dead fish washed up in a lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
beginning in January, possibly as a result of local ocean anoxia caused by algal bloom
Algal bloom
An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically, only one or a small number of phytoplankton species are involved, and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration...
s triggered by increased eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
from the excess run-off produced by the flooding.
See also
- 2010 Machu Picchu floods
- April 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslidesApril 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslidesThe April 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides was an extreme weather event that has affected the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in the first days of April 2010. At least 212 people have died, 161 people have been injured , while at least 15,000 people have been made homeless...
- Cyclone CatarinaCyclone CatarinaCyclone Catarina is one of several informal names for a South Atlantic tropical cyclone that hit southeastern Brazil in late March 2004. The storm developed out of a stationary cold-core upper-level trough on March 12...
- El Nino
- January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslidesJanuary 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslidesA series of floods and mudslides took place in in several towns of the Mountainous Region , in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Casualties occurred in the cities of Nova Friburgo, Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Sumidouro and São José do Vale do Rio Preto. The floods caused at least 903 deaths,...
External links
- In pictures: Brazil's mudslide tragedy, picture gallery from BBC News