IBGE Survey Finds 271,525 Homes Destroyed and 6.33 Million People Affected by 2024 Rio Grande do Sul Floods

Overview

• The Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística published the PEERS results on July 1, 2026, reporting that about 6.33 million residents were affected and roughly 2.33 million domiciles were in the most impacted zones.
• PEERS estimates 271,525 domiciles were destroyed or very badly damaged and finds that 53.2% of homes reported some structural damage after the May 2024 floods.
• The survey shows impacts were concentrated among lower income households, with 66.8% of affected people living in homes with monthly income up to R$5,000 and nearly 350,000 people moving residence because of the floods.
• Flooding caused major disruptions to work and education, with 1,718,066 people stopping work during the event and about 78.9% of students in affected areas interrupting attendance, while water, power and internet outages were widespread.
• Only 20.8% of domiciles reported receiving at least one public cash transfer in April–May 2024 and 67.5% of respondents said their mental health was harmed, findings that underline gaps in aid coverage and longer term recovery needs.