The Paraibuna River and its tributaries are experiencing catastrophic overflow in Juiz de Fora and the surrounding Southern/Southeastern corridors following the rainiest February in recorded history.
The Paraibuna River and its tributaries have reached critical flood stages in Juiz de Fora and the surrounding Southern/Southeastern corridors, resulting in at least 59 fatalities and over 5,500 displaced residents.
A State of Public Calamity has been declared for 180 days. The death toll has tragically climbed to at least 25 across Minas Gerais, with the Paraibuna River veering off its course and triggering over 20 landslides that have isolated several high-risk neighborhoods.
A State of Public Calamity remains in effect as rainfall totals reached a staggering 733 mm (28.8 inches)—more than four times the monthly average. The Paraibuna River has crested above 4 meters, triggering over 20 major landslides and isolating entire districts as a second cold front brings renewed thunderstorms to the region.
Juiz de Fora: The epicenter of the crisis with 53 confirmed fatalities; emergency shelters are operating at capacity in local schools.
Parque Burnier: Total devastation in hillside settlements where a massive landslide buried a dozen homes.
Ubá: Ongoing recovery efforts after river overflows transformed the commercial district into a debris-filled waterway; 6 deaths confirmed.
Cidade Universitária: Recently hit by 102.9 mm of rain in just three hours, causing localized flash flooding.
Industrial & Benfica: Residents remain under immediate evacuation orders as river junctions remain at extreme risk.
Avenida Beira Rio (Ubá): Entirely submerged and currently serving as a primary drainage channel for the overflow.
Mariano Procópio Park: Historically significant grounds are currently being monitored for rising water damage.
Avenida Brasil: This critical transit artery in Juiz de Fora is inundated, cutting off emergency access to the city center.
Information compiled from the Minas Gerais Military Firefighters Corps (CBMMG), Inmet (National Institute of Meteorology), and official statements from Mayor Margarida Salomão.
This event is now the deadliest and wettest February in the history of Minas Gerais. The 584 mm recorded in the first 24 hours alone shattered all previous monthly records, drawing grim comparisons to the 2024 Rio Grande do Sul disaster. Check our archives for more Brazil river data.
The severity of the current crisis in Juiz de Fora highlights the critical intersection of natural weather patterns and infrastructure. To understand how urbanization impacts these water levels, read The River Mixer’s Guide to Human-Driven Flooding: How Engineering and Urban Planning Shape Our Rivers – River Mixer™.
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