#FORÇARS project

Lessons from the management of emergency shelters during the 2024 flood in Porto Alegre (RS) and proposed guidelines for shelters and reception

Abstract

The May 2024 flood in Porto Alegre highlighted the urgency of strategies for managing emergency shelters. Historically vulnerable to flooding since the 19th century, the city began on the banks of Lake Guaíba and later expanded into naturally floodable areas. This study evaluated 28 shelters that housed 3,199 people, focusing on the structural, operational, and social conditions of the spaces. The research used on-site visits, interviews, and digital simulations for internal analysis, accessibility, safety, and care for the sheltered. The results indicated that modern community centers are the best pre-existing buildings to accommodate people in these conditions, due to the flexibility of the uses of the spaces; they have limitations, such as open ventilation, a shortage of bathrooms, and a lack of living areas, with no possibility of adjustments. Shelters that serve families with specific needs, have spaces for pets, leisure areas, and access to medical and legal services, provide more welcoming experiences. Based on the analyses, it is planned to prepare external guidance booklets for different audiences (volunteers, managers, sheltered individuals and donors), with guidelines for qualifying shelters. The study reinforces the importance of prior planning and coordination between institutional and social agents in disaster situations.