On 19 February 2023, the governor of São Paulo state in Brazil, Tarcísio de Freitas, declared a state of emergency in five cities along the north coast of the state. The declaration followed torrential rain that triggered flooding and landslides, causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and loss of life. This report provides an overview of the impacts of the severe weather event.

Impacts As of 20 February, 36 deaths have been confirmed, with 35 of them in São Sebastião, including 31 in Barra do Sahy, two in Juquehy, one in Camburi, and one in Boiçucanga, and one in Ubatuba. Floods and landslides have caused severe damage to homes, and over 566 people have been displaced or made homeless. Drinking water infrastructure has also been severely damaged in São Sebastião, Caraguatatuba, and Ilhabela, causing further distress to the affected communities.

Response The government has mobilized more than 130 teams from the Civil Defense, Military Police, Fire Department, and Brazilian Army to carry out relief and search and rescue operations. The work is concentrated in the region of Barra do Sahy and Camburi in São Sebastião, where much of the damage has occurred. The government has also distributed relief supplies, including mattresses, blankets, and food baskets, to affected communities. Drinking water is being delivered by tank trucks in areas of São Sebastião.

Challenges The severe weather event has caused severe transport difficulties, with dozens of roads washed out or blocked. The flooding and landslides have also resulted in significant damage to homes and infrastructure, leading to significant losses for the affected communities.

Conclusion This is the second severe flood event in the state in the last two weeks. While the government has mobilized resources to provide relief and support, the severe weather event's impacts on the communities cannot be overstated. The state of emergency declaration is an important step in providing critical support to affected communities. The government must continue to provide timely relief supplies, repair damaged infrastructure and work towards long-term solutions to mitigate the effects of severe weather events.