Heavy rains have raised the level of the Mosquito River and isolated rural communities; Civil Defense and firefighters are working to rescue families in the region.
he city of Porteirinha, located in the Grande Minas region, is facing a critical situation this Sunday, March 1st, 2026. The Municipal Civil Defense issued an immediate evacuation order for all residents living near the Lajes Dam. This urgent measure was adopted due to the imminent risk of the structure collapsing, caused by the heavy rains that have hit the municipality in recent hours. The accumulated rainfall exceeded 100 millimeters, causing a rapid rise in the level of local water resources and generating a state of maximum alert among the authorities and the local population.
The situation worsened considerably after confirmation that the water had overflowed, passing over the dam structure. According to preliminary technical assessments, this condition significantly increases the likelihood of a collapse, which would represent a direct danger to residences located in the lower part of the terrain. To ensure the safety of residents, audio alerts were sent to the cell phones of people in at-risk areas, instructing them to evacuate immediately. Teams from Civil Defense, the Fire Department, and the Military and Environmental Police were deployed to monitor the dam’s stability and guide the evacuation of citizens.
Isolation of rural areas and rescue operations
The storm’s impacts are severe in the rural area, where the community of Barreira das Lajes has been isolated due to flooding. Security and emergency forces are actively working to rescue residents who are stranded and to remove animals from the affected area. Families in the Lajes region have been strongly advised to leave their homes as quickly as possible. Civil Defense agents reported that the situation became critical during the early morning hours and that the water that overflowed the dam threatens to reach several houses, requiring a rapid response to preserve the physical safety of the community.
The adverse weather conditions had already been predicted by monitoring agencies. On Saturday night, the 28th, Civil Defense issued warnings about heavy rains in the Serra do Talhado and at the Serranópolis de Minas dam, with estimated precipitation of up to 98 millimeters. The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) maintained a red alert of great danger for the entire region, indicating high risks of flooding, landslides, and flash floods. The confirmation of these forecasts resulted in a sudden increase in the level of the Mosquito River, which impacted both rural and urban areas of the municipality.
Structural damage and emergency channels
In addition to the threat to the dam, the force of the water caused damage in the urban area of Porteirinha. In the Cidade Alta neighborhood, the rising river level caused houses to collapse. Civil Defense emphasizes that the population should not approach riverbanks, bridges, or flooded passages, and should seek safe locations immediately. The city hall informed that new updates will be released as the structural assessment progresses. In case of emergency, residents should contact the Municipal Civil Defense at (38) 99871-6633, the Military Police at 190, or the Fire Department at 193.
