Systematic literature review of debris flows in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Debris flow is a type of mass movement with high destructive potential. This study is located on Southern Brazil, where debris flows occur mainly in mountainous regions and on steep slopes. The objective was to conduct a systematic literature review of debris flow focusing on Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná states, using the PRISMA method. A search equation was developed and applied in Scopus, Lens, and Web of Science. A total of 372 articles, published up to the end of 2025, were identified, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. Although the number of publications increased after 2018, no more than five articles were published in any single year, with the highest annual number occurring in 2022. The main findings of these 28 publications were summarized. It was noted that most studies had mixed (qualitative-quantitative) analysis and focused on local and regional studies. Among the states of Southern Brazil, Paraná was the most studied, particularly in the Serra do Mar region. Finally, knowledge gaps were identified due to the limited number of publications on the topic, despite the frequency of debris flows events and their socioeconomic impacts in Southern Brazil.