The flood of the Paraná and Iguaçu rivers caused flooding in houses and streets in the border region between Brazil and Paraguay, following heavy rains over the weekend. In Cidade do Leste, Paraguay, hundreds of families were affected and residents had to use boats to move through flooded areas.
On the Brazilian side, in Foz do Iguaçu, in western Paraná, homes were also flooded and families had to leave their homes.
Images recorded on the streets of Cidade do Leste show the size of the flood. A boat sails between houses surrounded by water, in a region where streets were completely flooded.
The San Rafael and San Agustín neighborhoods are among the most affected in the Paraguayan city. According to the survey reported by the city hall, 185 families had to leave their homes in the two locations. They were sent to municipal hostels and schools.
In Foz do Iguaçu, nine people were left homeless and 16 displaced, according to the report released by Civil Defense on Monday (12). The city recorded up to 170 millimeters of rain in less than 24 hours.
The rise in river levels also reached installations close to the banks, while emergency teams from both countries are monitoring the situation.
In addition to the San Rafael and San Agustín neighborhoods, other regions of Ciudad del Este and surrounding areas were affected by flooding. According to the survey reported to the report, 50 families were affected in Remansito, 70 in the Fátima neighborhood and another 50 in the 8 de Diciembre settlement, in the Km 9 Monday region.
Service teams work to remove belongings and transport residents to safe locations. The work has the support of emergency agencies, military personnel and volunteers. Itaipu Binacional reported that it is monitoring the progress of the flood and assisting in actions to assist affected families in Paraguay.
On the Brazilian side, heavy rains also caused disruption in different neighborhoods of Foz do Iguaçu. According to Civil Defense, the municipality recorded 170 millimeters of rain in the northern region until 6 pm on Monday (12). In the eastern region, the accumulation reached 142 millimeters and, in the southern region, 102 millimeters. The data is from the National Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring and Alerts (Cemaden).
In the Bubas occupation region, five homes were flooded at the end of Rua Castanha do Pará. One family went to a relative's house and another sought shelter with friends. Two families decided to remain in their properties, despite the offer of assistance. Another family, made up of three people, was taken to a city hall halfway house. A residence close to Residencial Lagoa Dourada was also hit. Six residents needed to be taken in by social assistance.
The storms also caused flooding in streets in Jardim Ipanema, Bourbon, Jardim Morenitas and Jardim das Flores, in addition to the intersection of Avenida Felipe Wandscheer and Rua Itaboraí. Teams from the Municipal Public Works Department were mobilized to monitor the incidents.
In addition to flooding caused directly by rain, the rise of the Paraná and Iguaçu rivers worries residents and companies located close to the banks. On Monday afternoon (12), the Paraná River reached 116.13 meters above sea level at the Ponte da Amizade measuring station, according to Itaipu Binacional. In the Porto Meira neighborhood, water reached the premises of a sand extraction company. At Cataratas Iate Clube, the river level also reached the kiosks. According to Itaipu, homes in the Porto Meira region begin to be affected when the Paraná River reaches 119 meters above sea level. Until the last bulletin, forecasts did not indicate that the water would reach this level. Civil Defense has intensified monitoring and advises residents and companies in areas close to rivers to adopt preventive measures.
