Heavy rainfall in Brazil has caused flooding in Acre State, affecting almost 40,000 people.
The flooding started on 25 February, and now affects 17 of the state's 22 municipalities. Days of torrential rain have caused water levels to rise to record levels in some areas, with the Acre River reaching 15.56 m. Other rivers affected include the Purus, Tarauacá, and Juruá, which are causing floods in the cities of Rio Branco, Xapuri, Santa Rosa do Purus, Jordão, and Marechal Taumaturgo, among others.
75% of the municipality of Brasiléia is flooded, and the city of Brasiléia is unreachable by road. It is estimated that 80% of Jordão is affected by the Tarauacá River flooding. The floods have caused difficulty in delivering relief to affected areas, flooding roads and damaging bridges. Thousands of people lost power supplies, and some hospitals have also been flooded, causing further difficulty in emergency response. It is estimated that 18,000 people have been left homeless by the extensive flooding.
Forecasters expect the rain to continue into March, worsening the situation.
