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Alert
Brazil
Indigenous people suffer from floods in Acre state
Geneva, 30 March 2015
1. Brief description of the emergency and impact
In February and March, heavy rain and floods have struck upon the state of Acre, North Region of Brazil, severely affecting about 80,000 people. The most affected municipalities were the capital Rio Branco, Brasiléia, Tarauacá, Feijó, Epitaciolândia, Porto Acre, Assis Brazil and Sena Madureira. According to the Ministry of National Integration, in Rio Branco, the state capital, the Acre River exceeded the historical level reached in 1997 of 17.66 meters, reaching 18.40 meters in March. In southern Amazonas, Acre border, the affected municipalities were Boca do Acre and Pauini. Among the most affected are residents of Rio Branco suburbs, river bank’s communities and indigenous peoples, especially the Apurinã of Pauini, communities living near the Purus River, Amazonas State. The critical needs are food mattresses and access to clean water.
2. Why is an ACT response needed?
Communities from Rio Branco, Porto Acre, Apurinã and Brasiléia are helpless, with no support from government organizations, including the official indigenous body of the Brazilian state. Immediate action is needed to support 640 families (3,200 people) affected by the last March rain, with food, mattresses, clean water and kits to clean the houses.
3. National and international response
The Civil Defence is working in the capital and in the other cities, where urban and riverside areas have received some support, but so far, the Aripunã region have not received any assistance. According to the local partner, the Council of Mission among Indigenous Peoples (COMIN), there are not indications from the government to provide any support, including food or drinking water, for these areas identified by the ACT forum.
4. ACT Alliance response
FLD, ACT Alliance member, and CESE have made available some resources for the affected communities from the February rains, through the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and the Council of Mission among Indigenous Peoples (COMIN). Now with the March rains ACT members are planning to ask support to assist the most affected and isolated indigenous communities.
5. Planned activities
We are planning to assist the affected communities by the rain and floods in these last days, which did not receive any assistance to date by any other source and there is no present indication of any other support to be forthcoming. Planned activities include the purchase and distribution of food, water and cleaning kits. The Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and COMIN will be partners at the local level in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities.
6. Constraints
Logistical access to isolated areas, rapid flow of resources and purchasing logistics can be affected if heavy rains return.
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Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to the Head of Finance and Administration, Line Hempel (Line.Hempel@actalliance.org).
