Posted on June 1, 2026
By Carla Teles
In Santa Catarina, disaster prevention in the face of El Niño involves dams, river cleaning, bridges, water trucks, and equipment for Civil Defense. The government reported about R$ 1 billion in actions, while the Spring Operation should mobilize the 295 municipalities of Santa Catarina between June and September 2026.
Santa Catarina intensified disaster prevention in the face of the possibility of El Niño in the second half of 2026. According to information released by the state government and Civil Defense, about R$ 1 billion were allocated to dams, river dredging, access structures, and equipment destined for the municipalities.
According to ND Mais, the mobilization involves the 295 municipalities of the state and will have an operational phase between June 1 and September 21, with the Spring Operation 2026. The initiative aims to prepare areas subject to flooding, inundations, and mass movements, such as landslides, while the climatic behavior continues to be monitored by technicians.
Possibility of El Niño raises attention to risks in the state
The prospect of El Niño formation in the second half has put hydrological risks back at the center of planning in Santa Catarina. In a technical note, state agencies highlighted that the phenomenon may favor periods of above-average rainfall, but its intensity and impacts still depend on the evolution of atmospheric conditions.
Disaster prevention considers that floods, flash floods, and landslides are not the automatic result of a single phenomenon. Even so, the possible influence of El Niño requires anticipation in vulnerable regions. Preparing structures and teams before occurrences is the central point of the state strategy.
Dams and rivers are part of the reported R$ 1 billion package
According to data presented by the state government, Santa Catarina gathers approximately R$ 1 billion in initiatives associated with prevention. The package includes works on dams, modernization of existing structures, and actions for river dredging and cleaning, measures aimed at reducing vulnerabilities in the face of high rainfall volumes.
Dams integrate flood retention capacity, while cleaning watercourses aims to preserve flow where sediments and debris can exacerbate overflows. In disaster prevention, structural works do not eliminate all risk, but they can reduce damage and extend response time.
Municipal Civil Defense receives technology and vehicles
Another aspect of the package involves the allocation of R$ 64 million to municipal Civil Defense structures. According to the announcement, the funds financed equipment such as 4×4 vehicles, rugged notebooks, tablets, mapping drones, and screens for monitoring meteorological information.
For Civil Defense, local capacity for recognition and movement is crucial in the first hours of an emergency. Drones can assist in surveying affected areas, while suitable vehicles facilitate access to muddy or blocked sections. Disaster prevention also depends on municipalities capable of acting quickly.
