On November 22, 2008, Blumenau in the Itajai Valley began to experience one of the worst weeks in its history. The date marks the 14th anniversary of the municipality’s most tragic natural disaster. Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. In addition, some 2,100 buildings were damaged or destroyed by landslides and nearly 25,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

The tragedy occurred after three months of incessant rains in the region – Press release/Blumenau City Hall/ND

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. About 2,100 buildings damaged or destroyed by landslides – NDTV/ND Pictures

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. About 2,100 buildings damaged or destroyed by landslides – NDTV/ND Pictures

The 2008 tragedy turns 14 on November 22 – NDTV/ND Images

The 2008 tragedy turns 14 on November 22 – Disclosure/City Hall of Blumenau/ND

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. – NDTV/ND images

The tragedy comes after three months of incessant rain in the region – NDTV/ND Images

The 2008 tragedy turns 14 on November 22 – NDTV/ND Images

The 2008 tragedy turns 14 on November 22 – NDTV/ND Images

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. About 2,100 buildings damaged or destroyed by landslides – NDTV/ND Pictures

The 2008 tragedy turns 14 on November 22 – NDTV/ND Images

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. – Disclosure/Blumenau City Hall/North Dakota

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. About 2100 buildings damaged or destroyed by landslides – PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS IN BLUMENAU.00_03_02_29.Quadro010

The tragedy comes after three months of incessant rain in the region – NDTV/ND Images

Only in Blumenau, 24 people died. About 2,100 buildings damaged or destroyed by landslides – NDTV/ND Pictures

As a measure, as soon as the incidents began, 62 shelters were activated to support homeless families. This was the result of three months of rain that soaked the soil to such an extent that on 22 November the municipality collapsed and the eyes of the whole country turned to Blumenau and the region.

For 14 years, Blumenau has strengthened and adopted new protocols. The Civil Defense Secretariat (Sedeci) expanded with the creation of Geology and Meteorology Sectors. In addition to strengthening the structure and technical team, the secretariat has introduced educational programs into daily life, such as civil defense programs in the school and Young Agent, which prides itself on working on prevention issues with primary and secondary school students.

Civil Defense Minister Carlos Olympio Menestrina notes that November 22 is not a date to be celebrated, but rather to be respected for all that it represents for the municipality, for the loss, damage and consequences left over from that fateful date.

“The lesson that 2008 left us was taken very seriously by the Civil Defense, so much so that new security protocols were adopted, as well as the operational systematics of our agents, ensuring respect for nature, especially in relation to risk zones and its occupation,” reinforces he.

Changes

Until 2008, the Civil Defense was not yet a secretariat, and this name will be fixed only in 2013. Since then, the number of agents, geotechnical technicians, geographers, engineers and meteorologists in the sector has increased.

According to the mayor’s office, the physical structure has grown, the number of civil servants has tripled, and the number of vehicles to provide services to the population has also increased. All this in order to better serve the people of Blumenau, not only in incidents, but also in prevention and leadership work.

In addition to all investments in civil defense in recent years, this year the secretariat is also mastering the methodology of the Itajai Asu Basin Warning System Operations Center (Ceops) so that this knowledge will improve the accuracy of measuring and forecasting meteorological phenomena. data.