SAO PAULO — On Saturday, over 1.6 million residents of Sao Paulo found themselves without electricity, following a severe storm that hit the city, the largest in South America, more than 16 hours earlier.

According to officials from the state of Sao Paulo, a violent storm on Friday night produced wind gusts as high as 67 mph (108 kph), which led to downed power lines and uprooted trees, causing significant destruction in various neighborhoods. In addition to the power outages, several airports were closed, and water services were disrupted in numerous locations, as reported by state authorities.
Initially, it was anticipated that power would be restored within a matter of hours. However, as Saturday progressed, many areas within the metropolitan region, which is home to 21 million inhabitants, remained without electricity, prompting officials to advise residents to conserve water usage.
Tragically, one individual lost their life when a tree fell onto an outdoor food stall. Reports also indicate that at least four other fatalities occurred in the surrounding regions of Sao Paulo state due to the storm’s impact.