Powerful Windstorm Leaves Multiple Dead and Thousands Without Power in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

A powerful windstorm with gusts exceeding 100 km/h caused at least five deaths and widespread infrastructure damage across the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo on Wednesday. In Rio de Janeiro, two people died when a wall collapsed in Santa Teresa, including former Botafogo player Tássio Maia dos Santos. Police are also investigating if three family members who were electrocuted in Cidade de Deus were victims of the storm. A fisherman remains missing in Paraty. Power outages affected hundreds of thousands of properties; reports indicate between 370,000 and 415,000 homes without power in the capital and surrounding areas, while one report states 1.9 million residences statewide were impacted. Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere attributed the event to a Super El Niño and stated that the storm's intensity exceeded meteorological forecasts.

In São Paulo, three deaths were recorded: a homeless man hit by a tree in Santos, a fisherman after a boat sank in São Sebastião, and a man hit by a tree in Cesário Lange. Ten people were injured, including several from a boat capsize in Ubatuba where a six year old girl remains hospitalized. The storm caused more than 80 fallen trees in the Baixada Santista region and damaged schools in Cubatão and Peruíbe. In Santos, wind speeds reached 111.8 km/h, while other regions like Itaporanga recorded gusts up to 124.9 km/h.

Transportation infrastructure faced significant disruptions. Congonhas Airport canceled dozens of flights on Wednesday and several more on Thursday due to network adjustments. Guarulhos and Viracopos airports also dealt with flight diversions. In the city of São Paulo, Enel reported that 69,000 customers lost power at one point on Wednesday. Meteorologists noted that while these events were extreme, they were caused by a cold front rather than a tornado or hurricane.