Located in Rio's north zone, with old houses and one of the city's most charming train stations, Marechal Hermes was one of Rio's first planned neighborhoods. Inspired by the workers' villages he had seen on trips to Germany and France, the then-president of Brazil, Marshal Hermes da Fonseca, ordered the construction of Vila Marechal Hermes, which was inaugurated in 1913.
But besides the houses and the train station, the neighborhood is also known for its major floods, which have already left several residents, workers, and students isolated.
Urban flooding is caused by several factors: among the main ones, we highlight heavy rain, the type of pavement, garbage in the storm drains, some design flaws (such as insufficient drainage) and irregular land occupation. Residents of Marechal Hermes complain about the lack of maintenance of the storm drains, many of which are clogged with garbage or sand. When it rains there is no drainage, which causes the neighborhood's streets to flood.
Flooding in Marechal Hermes Photo: Jornal Extra
Image description: This is a photograph of a flooded street in Marechal Hermes. On the left side, we see a man holding a blue umbrella. In front of him, there is a metal fence with barbed wire. In the center, the water completely covers the street, rising up to the cobblestones of the houses. There are trees along the street, and some cars are partially submerged. On the right, a white bus is stopped in the water. In the background, more trees and buildings are visible, also affected by the flooding.Despair, insecurity, and dissatisfaction: these three words fully express what residents and shopkeepers in the neighborhood feel after the failure of past works. A mark of 1.65m on Rua João Vicente shows how high the water reaches during rainstorms and demonstrates just how precarious the situation is.
Residents hope that rainy days will be few, so they don't lose their homes or businesses, their belongings and loved ones. How can there be so much disregard for the population?
The 1.65m mark on Rua João Vicente, which shows how high the water level rises during heavy rains
Image description: The image is a colorful drawing depicting a lively scene. On the left side, there is a smiling female figure, wearing a purple dress and a green shirt. She is standing behind an open door, looking inside. In the center, there are three people dancing. The first person, on the left, is a woman with long hair, wearing a black top and black pants. Next to her is a man with short hair, wearing a white t-shirt and red pants. On the right, there is another person with short hair, wearing a green t-shirt and blue pants. Everyone appears to be having fun and dancing together. The background of the image is orange.According to teacher James Bispo, who has worked at Oscar Tenório school for approximately 22 years, there were days when teachers and students put plastic bags on their feet in a futile attempt to avoid coming into contact with the dirty water, which reached as high as people's thighs.
Ana Cristina, a former Unicarioca student, based at the Triângulo institution in Marechal Hermes, reported that on several occasions she was unable to complete her route to the university due to flooding, which made it impossible for even large vehicles - such as buses - to proceed.
In November 2021, Mayor Eduardo Paes announced improvement works in Marechal Hermes and the surrounding area — such as the revitalization of public spaces, the installation of new LED light points, and, finally, drainage and river containment works in the region, to drastically reduce flooding.
In Nov/2021, the mayor announced revitalization works in Marechal Hermes. Photo by Beth Santos - Rio City Hall
Image description: This is a photograph of an outdoor event. In the foreground, several people are seated in white plastic chairs, facing a group of people standing. These people are wearing clothes of different colors, and some are wearing masks. In the background there is a large tree and some buildings, the sun is shining brightly, and the trees' shadows are cast on the ground.
