Eight dead as violent storms sweep brazil after record drought

At least eight people have been confirmed dead, and thousands stranded without power after violent storms ravaged central and southeastern Brazil on Friday.

The storms come after the country experienced its worst-ever drought, intensifying the impact of the severe weather.

According to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology, winds reached speeds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph), with some areas receiving as much as 10 cm (4 in) of rain in a single day.

The state of São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous region, has been hardest hit, with seven fatalities reported.

The deaths were primarily caused by falling trees and collapsing infrastructure due to the intense winds and heavy rainfall.

Many residents of São Paulo described the storm as sudden and overwhelming, with blackouts plunging large areas of the state into darkness.

Water supply issues have also been reported. Energy company Enel stated that more than 1.3 million homes and businesses remain without power.

The firm is working to restore electricity, with full reconnection expected by Monday.

In response to the prolonged outages, residents of the Parque São Roberto neighbourhood in São Paulo staged a protest on Saturday, banging pots and pans after enduring more than 24 hours without electricity.

Meanwhile, in the capital city of Brasília, a soldier was killed and another injured during the storm at the military police headquarters.

The rain was so intense that water leaked through the roof of the Chamber of Deputies, forcing officials to use umbrellas indoors.

Despite the devastation, some residents of Brasília have welcomed the rainfall, as it brings relief after an unprecedented 165-day dry spell.

Brazil’s severe drought has been linked to climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has fueled wildfires across the country, ravaging the Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands.

In July, the number of wildfires in the Amazon reached a 20-year high, choking major cities with smoke and threatening vital ecosystems