In September 2023, a terrible climate catastrophe hit Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, making international news. There was so much rain that between the afternoon and dusk of September 4, the Taquari River overflowed its banks in a few hours, rising 28.90 metres above its normal level and flooding at least 60 cities. 

Even though floods are common, residents were surprised by the fury of the water, which was greater than they had ever seen before. The tragedy killed 53 people in Taquari Valley and left 27,000 people homeless. 

A team effort

As soon as the situation became serious, our teams of reporters, photographers, and communicators travelled from Porto Alegre to the affected cities to show what was happening.

Those who stayed in the newsroom had the challenge of helping those who were far away as they covered a delicate situation. They received and edited the material for publication on all platforms and multimedia coverage with texts, photos, audio, and videos. 

In a few hours, and all at once, the state government confirmed 15 deaths in the city of Muçum. More than 85% of the city was filled with water from the Taquari River, with 20 million litres of water per second being dumped into the city. 

Reporter and photographer Mateus Bruxel flew over the affected region and recorded what he saw in photos and videos that were posted on Instagram. “From above, given the large volume of water, we sometimes lose sight of the river flow. We didn’t know where one city started and another ended,” he said.  

Sharing stories of survival

The images of destruction that reached the newsroom were impressive; survivor stories were even more so. The streets were completely invaded by water and mud, and entire buildings collapsed. The roofs that remained over the houses revealed holes made by the residents themselves, who sought help at the highest point of each property. 

In Muçum, retired Elisabete Simonaio, 65, spent the night hanging on a couch that floated around the room, holding her dead mother’s hand so that the water wouldn’t wash her body away. This story was told by reporters Fabio Schaffner and Jefferson Botega and had enormous repercussions on social media. 

Another story that moved our followers was the rescue of the dogs by a local resident whose house was flooded by Guaíba Lake in the Porto Alegre Islands region, which also was hit by the September rain. 

The power of social media

Throughout this event, it became clear that social media was not just for informing and telling stories. It was also a crucial channel for conversations with the audience and for mobilising the community into a chain of solidarity to help people rebuild their homes, cities, and lives. 

In coverage like this, every interaction matters. We do believe that social media is the most effective way to engage the public in news and actions that can truly make a difference in people’s lives, and our commitment can only grow from that engagement.

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