Since 2013, the city hall of São Sebastião, on the north coast of São Paulo, has received at least four alerts about the risks of landslides and floods in the municipality, which were confirmed on February 18 and 19, when the city was reached by the greatest volume. of rainfall in the history of the country, with 680mm of precipitation in just 24 hours.
The first alert came in 2013, when a study by the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) on the expansion of risk areas used the municipality of São Sebastião as a target, detailing the risks of landslides in the region.
Five years later, in 2018, a survey by the Technological Research Institute (IPT) indicated 52 areas that were at risk of landslides. Among the regions pointed out by the organ, was São Sebastião.
In 2020, the São Paulo State Public Ministry, after studying the region, concluded that Vila do Sahy, the region most affected by the landslides and floods last weekend, would be “a true tragedy announced.”
Finally, in 2022, a proposal by the Housing and Urban Development Company of the State of São Paulo (CDHU), based on an analysis of the 2015 Mackenzie, suggests that families occupying Vila do Sahy be relocated to a neighboring area, where they would be away from the risk of landslides.
Updated informations
This Sunday (26), the Civil Defense confirmed that the death toll reached 64, 55 victims have already been identified, 20 men, 17 women and 18 children. In all, 2,251 people were displaced and 1,815 were left homeless.
The forecast for the next few days is for heavy rain showers with lightning and wind. Accumulated precipitation should not be relevant, but it will keep the soil moist, making it difficult to search for victims and remove debris from the city.
According to the bulletin issued by the government of São Paulo, it should rain 40 millimeters this Sunday, 40 millimeters next Monday (27th) and 45 millimeters on Tuesday (28th).
Also according to the State Government, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) will return to dispatch from the São Paulo capital on Monday (27), at Palácio dos Bandeirantes, with sporadic returns expected for next week.
Editing: Thales Schmidt