Church of Jesus Christ Responds to Major Flooding in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil

Download Photo

Updated May 10, 2024

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sending humanitarian aid to those affected by the recent rains in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.

In what authorities consider the state’s worst-ever crisis caused by natural disasters, the extreme flooding has forced 200,000 people out of their homes, and at least 90 people dead and more than 130 missing.

The Brazil Area Presidency has assembled staff and resources to assist those affected by the floods. A letter sent to bishops and stake presidents from Elder Joni L. Koch, Brazil Area President, and his counselors Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela and Elder Mark D. Eddy, all General Authority Seventies, states that 21 meetinghouses are now being used as shelters for evacuated people, and thousands of basic food packages provided by the Church to the state Civil Defense have already begun to be distributed to the population.

Other humanitarian aid initiatives are underway in close coordination with the government to help the community. The Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance and Family Services departments are coordinating support and efforts to meet the needs of members as well.

On Wednesday, May 8, missionaries from the Church helped unload emergency supplies from an Azul airplane at the military airport in the city of Canoas.

Download Photo

Download Photo

News reports say some 80% of the population is without running water right now, a week into the flooding. Many also do not have telephone or internet services.

The airport, bus station and main roads are all blocked or closed going into the capital of Porto Alegre — and more than two-thirds of the nearly 500 cities in the state are affected by the flood waters. Field hospitals have been set up to help those affected.

Social media posts on the Church’s Autossuficiência Brasil and Brazil Area accounts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints further explain how the Church is responding to the disaster, which include the following list of donated goods and services:

These donations are being coordinated in collaboration with the State Civil Defense. Local church leaders are also coordinating efforts to help the community.

“[T]he Brazil Area office is mobilized to do everything possible to help and help the population of Rio Grande do Sul, our dear brothers and sisters and friends, at this time of great sorrow,” the post said in Portuguese.

The post states that Church members who want to make donations to those affected by the calamity can do so through official government organizations that are coordinating donations through civil defense and social funds.

In addition, the Church’s Family Services department is coordinating a support network of volunteer psychologists to provide emotional support to those affected. And wards and stakes across the country have joined the Church’s Helping Hands volunteer program and are raising donations.

Some of the cities in Rio Grande do Sul — roughly the size Ecuador — were already suffering from at least three previous major floods in less than eight months.

The rains are expected to continue in the area, along with high winds.

Mary Richards, Church News, contributed to this story.