3. - usaid

BRAZIL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISASTER
m: Flood
DATE-TIME : March 14, 1969
LDCATION :
Northwestern part of klagoas
DISASTER VICI'IMS: Killed Injured Missing Homeless - Mass Feeding
316 3 71'1,384
DAMAGES: Homes totally or partially destroyed - 1,770
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISASTER
Estimated dollar darnage in Sao Jose da Laje
including homes, cormrcial losses. . . . . . . . . . $ 5,000,000
Cestruction of the sugar - processing - - plant -
at Serra Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770 000
,5,770,000
There were also extensive losses to the sugar cane crop
along river banks but estimated dollar damage was not
aval lab le .
In the early morning hours of March 14, 1969, a flash flood swept along the
Maundau River Valley after previously inflicting severe losses along the
banks of the Canhoto Mver. Floodjng was caused by hea~y rains in the
mountainous area of Garanhuns, Pernambuco, resulting in rapid drainage into
the Canhoto Hver. This river eventually meets with the Mundau River about
35 kilometers south of the Alagoas/Pernambuco border.
The worst damage and most number of lives lost occurred along the banks of
the Canhoto. The river changed its normal course of flow, running through
the Sugar Mill villa of Serra Grande and the adjoining city of Sao Jose da
Laj e At this point, the river normally makes a 90-degree turn. Due to
the rocky river base in that region which facilitates tl-apping of debris,
cbmnirg up apparently forced the river to divert. While the change in normal
flow lasted no more than 20 minutes, the suddenness and high velocity of the
waters caused many to lose their lives and also peat destruction to
property. Most of the houses destroyed were mud huts but in the city of
Sao Jose da Laje, the rushing water demolished even brick houses and shops
with relative ease. Among the hard hit areas was the comnercial section
of Sao Jose da Laje where the water ran tmw and destroyed all the