Natural disasters, hydrometeorology, and civil defense

Natural disasters are responsible for significant material and human losses worldwide, and although most natural hazards, such as storms, are inevitable, disasters are not. Investigating past hazards and monitoring them in the present helps us understand and predict future events, enabling communities and public authorities to take action to minimize the risk of a disaster occurring. Given the growing relevance of the topic in the global context, this study seeks to elucidate the concepts of natural disasters of hydrometeorological origin, analyzing and discussing three natural disasters that occurred in the state of Rio de Janeiro: in January 2011 in the Serrana region, in January 2012 in the Norte Fluminense region, and in January 2013 in the Baixada Fluminense region. The main objective of this research is the hydrometeorological characterization of these disasters in the different basins monitored in the state, and the identification of actions that could be taken by civil defense agencies based on scientific knowledge combined with prevention and mitigation actions.