Severe storms in southeastern Brazil claim 8 lives, leave 2.1 million without electricity
Central and southeastern Brazil were hit by strong winds and heavy rain on Friday and Saturday, October 11 and 12, 2024, causing widespread damage and leaving 8 people dead.
Satelite image acquired on October 11, 2024. Image credit: NOAA-20/VIIRS.
Strong winds and heavy rain battered central and southeastern Brazil from Friday, October 11, causing widespread damage and leaving 8 people dead. Wind gusts reached up to 108 km/h (67 mph), and daily rainfall totals reached 100 mm (4 inches), according to the National Institute of Meteorology.
The severe weather led to blackouts, destruction, and multiple fatalities, particularly in São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state. In São Paulo, seven people died due to falling trees, collapsing walls, and violent winds. In Brasília, a soldier was killed and another injured after a tree fell on them.
Power outages affected approximately 2.1 million homes and businesses across the region. In Greater São Paulo, 1.3 million residents were still without power by 21:00 on Saturday, with 870 000 of those outages reported in Brasília.
The storms followed an extended period of dry weather, including 167 days without rain in Brasília. The prolonged drought fueled wildfires that devastated the Amazon rainforest, harmed wildlife in the Pantanal wetlands, and caused smoke to cover major urban areas.
1 Em meio a seca, temporais deixam ao menos 8 mortos no Brasil – DW – October 13, 2024
2 Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought – France 24 – October 12, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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