An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
In São Bernardo do Campo, strong gusts brought down electricity poles and centuries-old trees, crushing cars and a lorry and cutting off access to several homes. Residents reported hearing a power transformer explode shortly before the outages began. Those affected said elderly people and patients reliant on medical equipment were facing heightened risks due to the prolonged lack of power.
The storm also damaged infrastructure, including the roof of a petrol station, which collapsed under the force of the winds.
At São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, travellers faced long queues, delays and widespread cancellations.
Milena Porto, a passenger travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Goiânia, said her connection was cancelled after she arrived late in São Paulo, forcing her to spend the night in the city at her own expense. She said the airline had promised a refund and she was now waiting to be rebooked.
Authorities said around 1.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity on Thursday (11 December). Energy provider Enel reported wind speeds reaching 98 km/h, with about 2 million customers losing power at the storm’s peak.
The company said supply had been restored for 500,000 consumers by Thursday morning.
Brazil’s energy regulator Aneel has demanded a detailed explanation from Enel regarding the scale and duration of the outages.
Water utility Sabesp said that power cuts had knocked out pumping stations, disrupting supply across multiple districts. The company said water services were being gradually restored.
Air travel was also severely affected. Airport operator Aena said Congonhas Airport cancelled 31 arrivals and 15 departures on Thursday, after scrapping 181 flights on Wednesday.
At Guarulhos International Airport, one of Latin America’s busiest hubs, 61 arrivals and 56 departures were cancelled since Wednesday, though operations had largely normalised by Thursday morning.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and e...
Afghan and Russian businesses signed 15 trade agreements worth $103 million in Kabul on Thursday during a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Al...
Rising demand for air cargo and expanding international aviation networks are opening up new trade opportunities for Central Asia and the South Cau...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, has topped global rankings of the most polluted major cities as hazardous smog continues to blanket the region.
Uzbekistan has showcased its first artificial glacier project at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, highlighting an innovative way to store winter water for use in warmer months as Central Asia grapples with worsening water shortages.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has allocated $10 million to reinforce the Afghan banks of the Amu Darya River, where erosion threatens farmland and homes, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said after talks in Balkh on Tuesday.
Extreme heat is threatening agricultural production and food security in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, where increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves are disrupting farming, damaging livestock and reducing household incomes.
Global temperatures are projected to rise by up to 2.8°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100 under current climate policies, according to a United Nations report published on 21 October, raising concerns about the world's ability to meet international climate targets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment