7 killed after storm hits Brazil

A powerful storm in southeast Brazil’s Sao Paulo state left at least seven people dead on Friday evening, marking one of the most severe weather events in nearly 30 years.

News agency Xinhua reported quoting the Civil Defense agency on Saturday (October 12).

Three people were killed by a collapsing wall in Bauru, while the others were killed by falling trees in Diadema, Cotia and the city of Sao Paulo, according to the agency.

Winds reached up to 67 mph (107.5 km/h) in Sao Paulo, the highest recorded since 1995, causing widespread power outages that affected around 10 million people for more than 15 hours.

Power company Enel has not provided a timeline for full restoration, drawing criticism from the city’s mayor and a demand from the national energy regulator for an updated service plan.

The storm also disrupted water supplies in Sao Paulo and nearby cities, including Sao Bernardo do Campo, Cotia, Sao Caetano, Santo Andre and Diadema.