Just eight months after the floods that covered Taquari Valley in southern Brazil, the people of Rio Grande do Sul experienced a new climate catastrophe.

In late April 2024, the state was hit by a series of heavy rains that lasted until May, causing the most devastating floods in its history. The destruction affected the state capital, Porto Alegre, the cities along Guaíba River; and the valleys of the Taquari, Caí, Pardo, Jacuí, Sinos, and Gravataí rivers — as well as the Lagoa dos Patos region. 

The impact was overwhelming: 185 lives were lost, and 478 cities (out of 497 in the state) suffered from flooding, landslides, and roadblocks. Nearly 2.4 million people were affected, with more than 442,000 displaced from their homes. The rains also disrupted essential services: 640,000 homes were left without water supply for days, 440,000 lacked electricity, and dozens of roads were blocked, affecting daily life for weeks.

Damages were estimated at US$850 million, primarily in the housing sector. The insurance industry classified this disaster as the most significant loss caused by a single event in Brazilian history, with claims exceeding US$296 million by the end of May.

This tragedy surpassed the scale and impact of the September 2023 floods in the Taquari Valley, which were also reported here on the INMA blog, requiring even greater efforts from our journalists to report on the events and mobilise society.

Big numbers from social media coverage

GZH’s coverage was essential in informing and engaging its audience during these difficult times. In May alone, GZH’s social media profiles achieved impressive results, breaking several internal records:

• The first milestone was reaching 1 million followers on Instagram, which occurred in May with the addition of 170,000 new followers. This high number demonstrates users’ interest in our coverage.
• There were 211.7 million views, distributed across Instagram (183 million), TikTok (17.4 million), and YouTube Shorts (11.2 million), with an average of 186,200 views per post. Additionally, the content received 6 million likes, 1.3 million shares, and 190,000 comments.
• One of the most impactful videos from the coverage, showing the rescue of Canoas residents, had over 14 million views, and the high-impact content significantly boosted traffic to the GZH Web site and app.

Solidarity and mobilisation

Beyond journalistic reporting, GZH played a crucial role in mobilising social support. Services-driven content brought vital information on how to request rescues, contact public authorities, and offer assistance. This helped establish a network of solidarity, with the audience actively assisting the disaster victims.

The coverage also placed pressure on authorities, demanding responses and action, once again highlighting the power and responsibility of journalism in times of crisis.

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