Recently, the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo and its surroundings were hit by a storm with heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. At least seven people died. More than a million customers are without electricity.
At least seven people died and millions were left without power after heavy rainfall and strong winds hit Brazil's most populous city, Sao Paulo, and surrounding regions on Friday evening.
Authorities said Saturday that fatalities were reported in four different cities, including Sao Paulo. One person died after a tree fell on her stand. Civil defense and fire brigade units helped to remove the effects of the storm, such as fallen trees and collapsed walls of buildings.
The speed of wind gusts exceeded 100 kilometers per hour in places. According to the authorities, it was one of the strongest storms for 29 years – the last time there was such a strong wind was in 1995. The storm also closed several airports and interrupted water supplies in several areas.
Power outages after the storm
Brazilian electricity distribution company Enel reported on social media that up to 2.1 million customers experienced a power outage on Friday night.
On Saturday, local authorities said about 1.4 million residents were still without power in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area. In some places, restoring electricity is expected to last until Monday.
Reuters, TeleSUR, AP, G1 Globo
Main photo source: JUUNIORCORREIA/X/Reuters