Published on 1 March 2023
On 19 February 2023, disastrous floods hit the state of São Paulo in Brazil, causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of 57 people. The heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in coastal towns of the country’s richest state, causing extensive damage to housing and infrastructure. More than 4,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes, and dozens are still missing while search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 25 February, shows the area surrounding Juquehy, a popular beach in the city of São Sebastião, which was particularly affected by the floods. In the image, the landslides caused by the heavy rains appear in brown colours, in contrast with the green vegetation, and the sediments from the increased river discharge into the sea are also visible.
The Copernicus Sentinel satellites provide valuable data to identify and delineate the extent of affected areas when a flood occurs and to monitor the consequences of such disastrous events.
Source:
Devastating floods in Brazil. (2023, February 28). Copernicus Image of the Day.