Extratropical cyclone leaves 1 dead and over 2 million without power in eastern Brazil

A powerful extratropical cyclone brought winds of over 100 km/h (62 mph) to parts of São Paulo, leaving over 1.5 million customers without power by Thursday morning, December 11.

At least one person was reported dead in Campos do Jordão due to a landslide triggered by heavy rains from the cyclone. Four people were injured in São Paulo, with state civil defense responding to over 500 calls for assistance during the storm.

The cyclone, which moved off the coast of the Rio Grande do Sul on Wednesday, December 10, brought strong winds to São Paulo, downing hundreds of trees and power lines in the region.

A wind gust of 111 km/h (69 mph) was recorded at Osasco in Greater São Paulo. Weather stations at airports in Greater São Paulo recorded gusts of 96 km/h (60 mph) at Congonhas, 80 km/h (50 mph) at Campo de Marte, and 78 km/h (48 mph) at Guarulhos International Airport. Gusts of 90–100 km/h (56–62 mph) were recorded along the coastal areas.

The power disruptions also affected the water supply in parts of the city, as water pumps stopped due to a lack of electricity.

Cities including Barueri, Carapicuíba, Cotia, Embu-Guaçu, Itapecerica da Serra, São Bernardo do Campo were also hit by strong winds and subsequent power outages.

Over 2 million customers were out of power across the affected regions on Thursday, according to the power supplier, concessionaire Enel.

The storm also left over 200 traffic lights out of order, worsening traffic congestion in the affected areas, according to Agência Brasil.

Swells generated by the storm also caused damage to kiosks on the sand strip in Capão da Canoa , as the extratropical cyclone brought rough seas along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul on Thursday, Metsul Meterologia reported

Rishav Kothari

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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