Warnings of heavy rains in Recife, again

Back in May, Recife was affected by floods and landslides caused by intense rainfall. Photo: TV Brasil

Recife, the capital of Pernambuco state, is seeing a second day of heavy rainfall this Wednesday, with roads flooding and residents facing difficulties in traveling around the city.

The Pernambuco Water and Weather Agency (Apac) on Tuesday issued warnings for moderate to heavy rains affecting Recife’s metropolitan region, the Zona da Mata coastal region, and the adjacent Agreste area through to Wednesday. There are no fatalities reported so far.

Recife suffered an episode of deadly rainfall in late May, when a week of torrential rain claimed over 100 lives and left thousands without a roof over their head. Unexpectedly heavy rainfall also disrupted the city in March.

Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent across Brazil, with inadequate infrastructure, poor urban planning, and lack of preparation exacerbating the human damage wrought by the climate.

At least 457 people died as a result of heavy rains in Brazil in the first five months of 2022, almost 60 percent more than in the whole of 2021. The deadliest event was in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro state, in February, when 233 people died in floods and landslides.