(Adnkronos) – Five people have died due to powerful wind gusts – up to 100 kilometers per hour – which caused chaos in Rio de Janeiro and some areas of São Paulo State, disrupting the electricity grid and paralyzing traffic and public transport.
In a statement, firefighters reported that 2 people died in the collapse of a wall in the city of Rio de Janeiro. In Santos, São Paulo State, gusts of up to 111 km/h caused extensive damage. There are 3 victims, according to local authorities.
The municipal operations center explained that the winds were due to “the approach of an oceanic cold front.” The gusts arrived on a hot and sunny day: some videos showed numerous people leaving the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana en masse as the wind lifted the sand and carried away umbrellas and beach chairs.
