What can a flood teach us about intersectoral action?
Authors: Laura Boeira and Victória Menin
In April and May 2024, the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil experienced devastating floods following unprecedented rainfall. The heavy downpours disrupted the lives of thousands of people and submerged many homes and businesses. Emergency and health services were stretched to their limits as they conducted rescue operations. The agricultural sector, a significant part of the state's economy, faced severe losses as crops were destroyed and livestock perished. With no clear climate adaptation measures and insufficient infrastructure, much of the response was a combined improvised effort between civil volunteers, international organisations, the military and the government.
The search for solutions
Floods often lead to significant social concerns, primarily due to the displacement of large populations. When communities are uprooted, it worsens health conditions, amplifies psychological distress and erodes social cohesion. Thus, the search for solutions can’t focus only on rescue and health; they must be attentive to the multiple vulnerabilities people are exposed to. Some of the intersectoral actions are listed here.
Management of flood water exposure
Environmental and health agents had to work closely to support volunteers and people who were being rescued in understanding the risks of exposure to contaminated flood water. A task force of experts developed a technical recommendation outlining which priority groups should be eligible for leptospirosis prophylaxis, because over-the-counter medicine was scarce.
Offering shelter and guaranteeing the safety of at-risk groups
During the floods, more than 81,000 people were placed in shelters, and an additional 538,000 were sharing houses with relatives or acquaintances. Because most shelters were hastily set up in schools, churches and gymnasiums, the government opened a registration for health professionals and civil society volunteers who could aid in caring for the people in shelters.
Although the organisation of civil society in mobilising shelters, donations and rescues during the flood was essential for the disaster response, it also revealed vulnerabilities, such as the lack of technical preparedness of the population to handle the complexity of the situation, as well as insufficient government guidance to ensure support, direction and oversight of volunteer work.
After the reporting of sexual misconduct in some shelters, safe spaces for women, children and adolescents were established. On the other hand, homeless people faced segregation and stigma in shelters, and there was little commitment to establish a transition plan for them to remain safe after the main shelters were closed. Additional challenges were ensuring the inclusion and protection of the trans population, who faced discrimination, especially concerning the use of shared bathrooms and rooms in shelters.
Safeguarding mental health resilience
Psychosocial support was of utmost importance for citizens to be able to cope with the immediate uncertainty and the following trauma after the flood. Because of the low capacity for psychological first aid and the high number of volunteers who didn’t not have training, the Regional Council of Psychology partnered with universities to develop a quick course on support in mental health that could be delivered by anyone engaged in the rescuing and sheltering of victims.
Balancing in-kind support and cash transfers
With the supply chain for food and water seriously compromised, supplies soon became scarce in the local markets, both because of uncoordinated donation and household stocking. Some evidence points to the long-term benefits of cash transfers to families and shelters, but there was still a need to establish administrative support for people to replace identification documents lost in the flood and bank information to enable them to access financial relief programs.
Lessons learned
Many lessons on intersectoral action were learned during the floods that affected Rio Grande do Sul in early 2024. A flood and its aftermath is an example of a polycrisis, as the event triggers interconnected and compounding crises across social, economic, health and environmental systems, intensifying the overall impact and complicating recovery efforts.
The main lesson is the importance of developing and disseminating an evidence-informed preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation plan that encompasses health, social assistance, shelter, food and water supply, and income, as well as sets clear standards to enable business and agriculture to recover. Risk communication and surveillance, including for signs of disease outbreaks related to flood water, should also be put in place.
While in-kind support for hygiene items and drinkable water is valued, cash transfers are key during the recovery stage. Making sure people have their documents in order to benefit from whatever relief programs are available is paramount. When caring for at-risk groups, it is critical to disseminate the best available evidence on how to protect children and women from sexual and gender-based violence. At the same time, there is a need to enhance capacity to provide psychological first aid and to address the needs of groups with less social capital (i.e., homeless people), who are usually left out of these plans.
Examining the best available evidence through an equity lens for flood preparedness and response is especially needed in the Global South, where systemic injustices are deepened during disasters. Intersectoral action is crucial to ensure a coordinated response, integrating resources (and avoiding waste!) and expertise from various sectors to effectively address the complex social, health and infrastructure challenges that arise.
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To link to this article - DOI: https://doi.org/10.70253/HLKY2618
Conflict of interest
Laura is a member of the World EBHC Day Steering Committee
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The views expressed in this World EBHC Day Blog, as well as any errors or omissions, are the sole responsibility of the author and do not represent the views of the World EBHC Day Steering Committee, Official Partners or Sponsors; nor does it imply endorsement by the aforementioned parties.
