In the Eye of the Storm: São João do Meriti Sues Prologis Over Deadly Flooding
- Municipality files R$9.59 million lawsuit alleging design and drainage failures; Prologis denies any connection to the flooding, while a technical expert review is underway
Prologis’ latest ordeal comes from São João do Meriti, in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. The saga began in July 2025, when heavy rainfall hit the municipality and caused flooding that was blamed on construction work at Prologis Dutra RJ II.
At the time, company and city officials met to discuss emergency and structural improvements to the drainage system in Venda Velha, the affected neighborhood. However, little came of the meeting.
Following these events, the São João do Meriti city government filed a civil action against Prologis, led in Latin America by Armando Fregoso. According to Rio de Janeiro State Court records, the lawsuit is valued at R$9.5 million.
Seven months after the 2025 flooding, another flood struck the area in February 2026, killing an elderly woman by drowning and forcing more than 600 residents from their homes. The storm prompted the city to declare a Level 5 alert after rainfall reached a cumulative total of 105.4 millimeters over 24 hours. The incident further intensified the lawsuit against the company.
Allegations
The city’s allegations go beyond financial losses. The municipality claims that the development is being built with changes to the approved plans. According to the lawsuit, there is a discrepancy in the reported site area, and the drainage system is inadequate.
In addition, the creation of impervious surfaces on the site and the construction of walls altered the natural flow of stormwater. Although the municipality does not claim that the development was the sole cause of the flooding, it argues that the Prologis project was a contributing cause of the 2025 and 2026 incidents.
The city told REsource that it attempted to resolve the matter amicably with the company but that Prologis failed to cooperate.
“The São João do Meriti city government states that the issues involving the licensing of the Prologis development and its impact on the surrounding area repeatedly went unaddressed by the company, leaving the city with no alternative but to file a civil action against it. [...] The Executive Branch considers this matter to be of the utmost importance, while the City Attorney’s Office views it as strategic litigation. The city expects the lawsuit to finally resolve the matter, particularly—but not exclusively—with regard to the development’s impact on the surrounding community,” the city said in a statement to REsource.
Prologis, meanwhile, did not respond to questions submitted by REsource. In its court filings, however, the company disputes the city’s allegations. Prologis challenges the alleged connection between the development and the flooding, as well as the claims concerning soil impermeability, the effects of the walls and the inadequacy of the broader drainage system.
As of the publication of this article on the 13th, the case remained pending, with no ruling issued. An environmental and hydrological expert assessment is currently underway.
Recurring Problems
This is not the first time Prologis has faced a similar lawsuit. In São Paulo state, the company was sued in Cotia after a retaining wall collapsed onto a home during the construction of a development in 2024.
Although no one was killed, the company was accused of altering stormwater runoff during the rainfall, causing water and mud to enter the home. The court ordered construction to be suspended but allowed safety-related work to proceed.
The case remains pending and has expanded to include disputes over environmental licensing, vegetation and urban planning.
