Twelve municipalities declare emergency due to river flooding in Amazonas, Brazil
27 de April de 2025
By Jadson Lima – From Cenarium
MANAUS (AM) – Data from the Civil Defence of Amazonas indicates that twelve municipalities in the State are in a state of emergency due to the rising levels of the Solimões, Madeira, Juruá, and Purus rivers. The panel, updated this Sunday, 27, also shows another 18 cities on alert and 36 under attention, according to the state government. In total, more than 29,000 families and around 120,000 people are affected by the floods impacting the State.
One of the municipalities that declared an emergency was Humaitá (AM), located 591 kilometres from Manaus. The decree, signed by Mayor Dedei Lobo (União) on 19 March, is valid for 180 days to enable authorities to assist with humanitarian aid for those affected. Currently, the Madeira River level in the city is at 23.61 metres, after reaching a peak of 23.92 metres on 12 April.
Manicoré (AM), 332 kilometres from the Amazonas state capital, also declared an emergency due to the rising level of the Madeira River. In the latest panel update this Sunday, the municipality appeared with a level of 27.37 metres, that is, 1.50 metres below the record flood, registered on 19 April 2014. The cities have received humanitarian aid from the Amazonas Government, such as the delivery of basic food baskets and drinking water.
According to the Civil Defence, river level monitoring is carried out throughout the year, and when the overflow threshold is exceeded, the municipality initiates the first response actions. The state agency explained that when the situation exceeds local capacity, the State undertakes complementary actions after the state of emergency is declared.
In addition to these municipalities, the emergency situation also encompasses the cities of Apuí, Boca do Acre, Guajará, Ipixuna, Novo Aripuanã, Benjamin Constant, Borba, Tonantins, Itamarati, and Eirunepé. According to the State Civil Defence, the department is in “negotiations and logistical alignment for the acquisition and delivery of humanitarian aid, aiming to swiftly meet the demands of the municipalities that have declared a state of emergency”.
“The hydrographic basins of the state are undergoing a flooding process. In the upper Juruá and upper Purus basins, an oscillation between rising and falling river levels is observed, suggesting the beginning of the ebb process in the coming days – a typical behaviour of this Amazon region during this period. In the other basins, levels remain within the normal standards for the month of April,” says an excerpt from the technical report.
Alert and attention
Hydroclimatological monitoring also points out that 18 municipalities in Amazonas are on alert due to river levels, namely: Nova Olinda do Norte, Pauini, Lábrea, Canutama, Tapauá, Beruri, Envira, Carauari, Juruá, Atalaia do Norte, Tabatinga, São Paulo de Olivença, Amaturá, Santo Antônio do Içá. The Civil Defence describes these locations as having a high degree of risk and requiring constant monitoring.
Meanwhile, the municipalities of the State that are under attention total 36, namely: Barreirinha, Boa Vista do Ramos, Nhamundá, Urucará, São Sebastião do Uatumã, Parintins, Maués, Itacoatiara, Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru, Iranduba, Manaquiri, Careiro Castanho, Careiro da Várzea, Jutaí, Fonte Boa, Japurá, Maraã, Uarini, Alvarães, Tefé, Coari, Autazes, and Barcelos.
The list is completed by the cities of Itapiranga, Manaus, Presidente Figueiredo, Rio Preto da Eva, Santa Isabel do Rio Negro, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Silves, Urucurituba, and Novo Airão. These locations, according to state authorities, require enhanced vigilance and preventive actions to avoid the worsening of the situation.