en.Wedoany.com Reported - The World Bank-supported flood control project in Brazil's Itajaí Valley has officially been launched, with a total investment of $119.2 million. The project will benefit approximately 420,000 people across 54 municipalities, most of whom are low-income residents living in high-risk areas, who will receive more durable and reliable flood protection.

Jorge Coarasa, Acting Country Director for Brazil at the World Bank, stated that the region's continued job creation and prosperity will depend on sustainable strategies to adapt to increasingly severe flood risks. The core of the project is the construction of flood control infrastructure in the Itajaí Valley. Specific investments include river regulation works, such as dredging of the Itajaí-Mirim River, reinforcement of levees, and construction of sluice gates. Additionally, the project will support the construction of a series of flood control dams upstream of the river, an initiative incorporated into a multi-year government investment plan aimed at mitigating the impacts of flooding.