We report diarrhoea mortality rates in the city of Aracaju, Brazil from 1992 to 1994 when there were 318 deaths due to diarrhoea. Eighty-nine per cent of deaths occurred in infants: 53.1% were boys and 78.9% died in hospital. Diarrhoea mortality rates for children under 5 years of age were 2.63, 1.78 and 1.28 for 1992, 1993 and 1994, respectively. The district with the most slums and least sewerage services had the highest mortality rates (4.29, 2.53 and 1.87 for 1992, 1993 and 1994, respectively) and the district with most services and fewest slums had the lowest rates each year (0.79, 0.55 and 0.38). Malnutrition was associated with diarrhoea on 26.5% of death certificates. Mortality rates fell during the study period but still remained high in infants from poor areas of the city. Study of the geographical distribution of mortality allowed identification of priority areas for targeted interventions.