Wind Pushes Guaíba River Water Into Porto Alegre Streets
Listen to the story
Strong wind pushed water from the Guaíba River into the streets of Ilha da Pintada, a neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, on Saturday.
The wind caused the river to overflow onto nearby roads, flooding parts of the area close to the water.
Porto Alegre's Civil Defence, the local agency responsible for emergency response, issued a warning about possible storms.
The warning covers the period between Saturday, the 15th, and Sunday, the 16th, when heavier weather is expected.
According to the report, the Guaíba River remains at an attention level, a status used when water is high but not yet at its most dangerous stage.
Despite this, officials say the water level is falling gradually, meaning it is decreasing slowly rather than all at once.
Porto Alegre has experienced serious flooding in the past, which is why authorities continue to monitor the river closely.
The Civil Defence has asked residents to stay alert and follow any new alerts issued over the weekend.
Local authorities have not given further details about damage or how many people were affected by the water in the streets.
Residents in low-lying areas near the river are advised to take extra care as the situation continues to be monitored.
Vocabulary8 words
- wind
- air that moves fast
- overflow
- when water rises and goes beyond its normal space
- Civil Defence
- a group that helps people stay safe during danger
- warning
- official words that tell people about coming danger
- attention level
- a water height that means people should be careful
- gradually
- slowly, over time, not suddenly
- flooding
- when a lot of water covers land that is normally dry
- alerts
- short warning messages about danger
Quiz
Answer key
1. Strong wind pushing the water 2. It issued a warning about storms 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Strong _____ pushed water from the Guaíba River into the streets of Ilha da Pintada, a neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, on Saturday.
The wind caused the river to _____ onto nearby roads, flooding parts of the area close to the water.
Porto Alegre's _____, the local agency responsible for emergency response, issued a _____ about possible storms.
The warning covers the period between Saturday, the 15th, and Sunday, the 16th, when heavier weather is expected.
According to the report, the Guaíba River remains at an _____, a status used when water is high but not yet at its most dangerous stage.
Despite this, officials say the water level is falling _____, meaning it is decreasing slowly rather than all at once.
Porto Alegre has experienced serious _____ in the past, which is why authorities continue to monitor the river closely.
The Civil Defence has asked residents to stay alert and follow any new _____ issued over the weekend.
Discussion questions
- Why might strong wind, rather than only rain, cause river water to flood streets?
- What do you think an 'attention level' warning means for people living near a river?
- Why is it important for cities to monitor rivers even when flooding is not at its worst?
- How would you prepare if you lived in an area at risk of flooding?