The Paraíba do Sul and Pomba river systems are under a Red Alert as the death toll from this historic event has climbed to 72 fatalities, with catastrophic flooding and landslides continuing to isolate several municipalities in Minas Gerais.
While the most intense rainfall has subsided, a State of Public Calamity remains in effect for 180 days. The Pomba River recently surged from 4.89 meters to 6.05 meters in Leopoldina, while the Paraibuna River in Juiz de Fora remains at critical stages following a record-breaking 752.4 mm of rain in February—over 440% of the monthly average.
Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais): The hardest-hit municipality with 65 confirmed fatalities and nearly 6,500 residents displaced.
Ubá (Minas Gerais): 7 confirmed fatalities; major urban flooding has halted all local commerce.
Leopoldina & Cataguases: Significant water level rises on the Pomba River threatening downstream lowlands.
Matias Barbosa: Over 800 people forced from their homes due to rapid river bank erosion.
Senador Firmino: Isolated by road washouts and tributary overflows.
UEMG Campus (Ubá): The Minas Gerais State University campus suffered extensive damage to its library and laboratories as the river surged through the facility.
BR-040 Highway: Critical segments near the Minas-Rio border are being monitored for structural integrity following multiple mudslides.
Mariano Procópio Bridge: A key monitoring point in Juiz de Fora currently seeing high-velocity debris flow.
This event has officially become the wettest February in recorded history for the region, surpassing all previous hydrological benchmarks. It is being compared to the most severe 20th-century floods in terms of both water volume and humanitarian impact. Check our archives for more Southeast Brazil river data.
The catastrophic flooding in the Paraíba do Sul and Pomba basins is a textbook example of how modern urban planning interacts with extreme hydrology. As explored in our River Mixer’s Guide to Human-Driven Flooding, the severity of the crisis in Juiz de Fora and Ubá is not just a result of the record 752.4 mm of rain—it is amplified by local engineering factors:
Urban Channelization: The Paraibuna River has been heavily modified and constrained by concrete embankments through Juiz de Fora’s Industrial District. While these designs manage minor rises, they increase water velocity during “Red Alert” events, pushing the surge downstream toward Matias Barbosa with destructive force.
Permeability Loss: The rapid expansion of the UEMG Campus in Ubá and surrounding residential zones has replaced natural floodplains with impermeable surfaces. This prevents the soil from absorbing the 440% increase in February rainfall, forcing all runoff directly into the Pomba River simultaneously.
Infrastructure Stress: The landslides in Parque Burnier highlight the danger of building on high-gradient slopes where natural drainage has been diverted by road construction like the BR-040.
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