Residents of the Rio Taquari area in Lajeado, Brazil, were evacuated from their homes after the river reached its flood level on July 22, 2024 [1].

The rapid rise of the river underscores the vulnerability of southern Brazil to extreme weather patterns, where sudden surges can overwhelm local infrastructure and displace entire communities within hours.

Intense rainfall caused the Rio Taquari to rise by 85 cm in a single hour [1]. This surge represented more than 50% of the total volume forecast for the month of July by the National Institute of Meteorology, known as INMET [1]. The river's flood level exceeded 20 meters [1].

The flooding in Lajeado is part of a broader crisis affecting the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Recent rain periods have impacted 132 municipalities across the region [4]. Authorities said that more than 6,000 people have been displaced by these floods [4].

Emergency services have moved affected residents into temporary housing. Currently, 1,071 people are staying in shelters [4]. Local officials worked to remove residents from their homes as the water levels continued to fluctuate, a necessary precaution to prevent casualties during the rapid rise.

Regional monitoring continues as officials track the water levels of the Rio Taquari and surrounding tributaries. The speed of the July 22 event caught several areas off guard, as the volume of water delivered in one hour significantly outpaced monthly averages [1].

“The Rio Taquari rose 85 cm in one hour.”

The concentration of a month's worth of expected rainfall into a single hour indicates an increase in precipitation intensity in Rio Grande do Sul. This volatility makes traditional flood-level markers less reliable for early warning, as the window between a normal river state and a critical flood level has shrunk to minutes.