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Description of the Event
What happened, where and when?
Between October 30 to November 4, 2023, the regions of Misiones, Itapúa, Ñeembucú, and Alto Paraná in Paraguay experienced a devastating flood caused by heavy rains and the overflowing of the Paraná River. This unprecedented crisis resulted from intense rainfall in the eastern region of the country and the opening of the Yacyretá dam. As a result, the Paraná River, usually measuring 1.50 meters, surged to an astonishing 6.3 meters, leading to widespread inundation in the affected cities (1).
On November 4, the National Emergency Executive Council, where the Paraguayan Red Cross participates, was activated. This council is also made up of Paraguayan government institutions, governors' offices, municipalities, and volunteers. The executive council coordinates actions with the various ministries for emergency response and the PRC is a member of the technical and operations committee.
On October 31, the declaration of emergency was approved by the Department of Misiones for a period of 90 days. This declaration urged the ministries of the Executive Branch to promptly address the critical needs of the affected residents. The emergency declaration was primarily motivated by reports of flooding resulting from heavy rains, the rising waters of the Paraná River, and other occurrences associated with the "El Niño" phenomenon (2).
On October 30, the Department of Alto Paraná officially declared a departmental emergency for a duration of 30 days. This declaration aimed to facilitate the implementation of all necessary measures to aid and support the victims residing in the impacted regions (2).
The departments of Itapúa and Ñeembucú have not yet declared a Departmental Emergency, but are expected to do so in the next few days (3).
Within the department of Misiones, the city of Ayolas suffered the most severe impact, leading to evacuations and the suspension of classes. In the Alto Paraná department, the cities of Ciudad del Este, Presidente Franco, and Minga Guazú experienced the greatest extent of damage. In Itapua, the towns of San Cosme and Damian reported the greatest affectation. Lastly, in the Ñeembucú Department, which is situated along the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, the cities most heavily impacted included General Díaz, Villa Albín, Cerrito, Colonia Martínez, and Paso de Patria.
Sources:
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https://www.meteorologia.gov.py/nivel-rio/indexconvencional.php
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Emergency Declarations in Alto Paraná, Misiones, Ayolas: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PHpUtbt61uwj9UJI_TLFAjtfdMCu0_3A
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Departamento de Itapua: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1u6tS7MxZkyMc1Oc3c1LO3ZGjSFNOEatz
Scope and Scale
As per statements provided by the Minister of Public Health and Social Welfare, María Teresa Barán, and the director of the National Emergency Secretariat (SEN, by its initials in Spanish), Arsenio Zárate, severe weather events in Paraguay's central and eastern regions have resulted in more than 7,000 families (35,000 people) affected across the country over the past week (1).
Initial assessments carried out by local Paraguayan Red Cross branches, along with data gathered at government emergency operations centers, highlight the departments of Alto Paraná, Itapúa, Misiones, and Ñeembucú as the areas most severely impacted. More than 3,000 families (15,000 people) are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance as they contend with the flooding crisis (2).
In the Department of Ñeembucú (General Díaz, Villa Albín, Cerrito, Colonia Martínez, and Paso de Patria), the Risk Department reports approximately 850 families directly affected by the flooding of the Paraná River. Most of these families are engaged in shing and family agriculture, and the floods have caused damage to their subsistence crops, such as cassava, corn, and beans. In addition, the flooding of the river has signicantly restricted their ability to sh, which has a negative impact on their sources of income. Data confirmed by the municipal EOC reveals that the number of families affected is distributed as follows: Cerrito with 290 families, Mayor Martinez with 150 families, General Diaz with 120 families, Villa Albin with 150 families, and Paso de Patria with approximately 130 families.
In the department of Misiones, around 800 families (Ayolas) were directly affected by this situation. At least 500 families were displaced to temporary shelters, both in sports centers and also in municipal sheds, to ensure their safety. Homes were destroyed with significant losses of household goods and livelihoods (most of the families are fishermen), and classes were suspended in different educational institutions.
In the department of Alto Paraná (Ciudad del Este, Presidente Franco, and Minga Guazú), there were also significant impacts due to the flooding of the Paraná River. At least 400 families were affected in these areas, and 315 were evacuated. More than 100 houses are reported destroyed, especially in the most vulnerable areas located in the lower zone of Ciudad del Este.
In the department of Itapúa (Encarnación, San Cosme y Damián) more than 200 families were affected and at least 100 families had to be relocated, although the level of the Paraná River continues to rise and more families are expected to be affected. The greatest losses are related to the loss of personal belongings and housing, as well as the drastic reduction of their fishing activities, considering that most of the families located in these sectors are concentrated around fishing as their main source of income.
According to the Yacyretá Binational Entity, rainfall forecasts in the basin of direct contribution to the reservoir and adjacent regions do not anticipate significant rainfall in the next 48 hours (November 5 and 6). The inflows to Yacyretá will depend on the operation of the upstream hydroelectric power plants and the actual rainfall forecast in its catchment basin, with an expected ow of around 35,500 m3/s for the current day and between 36,000 and 32,000 m3/s in the following days (3).
Sources:
(1)https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/paraguay-lluvias_al-menos-dos-muertos-y-7.000-familias-afectadas-por-lluvias-y-tornados-enparaguay/48950610
(2)The information regarding the number of affected people comes from the rapid assessments of the NS branches, data from the governor's office and municipalities in each department.
(3)https://www.eby.org.ar/informe-hidrologico/