World Bank to build flood resilience in Brazil’s Santa Catarina State

The World Bank Group has announced a new project to support the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, to reduce the risk of devastating floods and strengthen the state’s capacity to manage weather-related disasters, mitigating impacts on the economy while protecting jobs and lives.

The $119.2 million project will benefit approximately 420,000 people across 54 municipalities, many of them low-income residents living in high-risk areas who stand to gain the most from lasting, reliable flood protection.

“Continued job generation and local prosperity in the region will depend on sustainable strategies to adapt to growing flood risks,” said Jorge Coarasa, World Bank Acting Country Director for Brazil. 

Flood mitigation infrastructure in the Itajaí Valley is at the core of the project. Investments include river improvement works such as channel dredging, reinforcement of embankments, and floodgates along the Itajaí-Mirim River.

The project will also support the construction of a series of flood control dams upstream, as part of a multi-year government investment program to mitigate flood impacts.