Brazil: Floods - Feb 2026

After the very heavy rainfall, floods, flash floods and landslides that have affected southern Brazil since 23 February, the humanitarian impact has increased. The affected states are Minas Gerais (the worst affected) and the neighbouring states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The federal government reports, as of 2 March, 70 fatalities, of whom 64 are across the Juiz de Fora municipality and six are fatalities in the Ubá municipalities (both in the southern Minas Gerais state). In addition, the same source reports five persons still missing, of whom three are in Juiz de Fora and two in Ubá. (ECHO, 2 Mar 2026)

Between February 24/2/26 and 25/2/26, flooding caused by rain and landslides was reported in the southeast of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The most affected areas were Juiz de Fora, Ubá, Matias Barbosa, Senador Firmino, Rodeio, Guidoval, Cataguases, Astolfo Dutra, Divinésia, Dona Eusébia, Itamarati de Minas, Piau, and Rio Pomba. Although the rains are seasonal, the event had a high humanitarian impact concentrated in the aforementioned areas. As of 5 March, approximately 5,510 people were reported to be affected. Of these, all had been displaced, 59 had died, and 15 were missing. In terms of historical exposure, Minas Gerais has faced recurrent flooding; within the state, the prevalence is higher in Juiz de Fora than in Ubá. Since 2000, the state has recorded at least 19 significant hydrometeorological events, distributed evenly over time, with a predominance of storm flooding. (IFRC, 26 Mar 2026)