Brazil is currently the sixth country in the world most affected by climate disasters, according to the United Nations. The primary issues are waterlogging and flooding, as they bring windstorms, landslides, and flash floods. One in three disasters in Brazil falls into this category — with more than 10,000 official occurrences recorded between 1991 and 2010.
Floods and waterlogging are natural phenomena that occur when the water running in a river reaches the maximum capacity of its main channel and overflows into the floodplain, while still remaining within the river valley, or when sea levels rise in coastal cities. Although this is a natural occurrence, floods can intensify when the discharge of a watercourse increases.
This intensification occurs as a consequence of human impact on nature, thereby causing widespread damage to society. The primary reason why floods are such a pressing concern in Brazil lies in how the country's urbanization process — and subsequent urban expansion — unfolded.
