(Brasilia) At least eight people died after heavy rains in Brazil, which also left more than a million homes without electricity in the state of São Paulo, authorities said on Saturday.
Up to 100 millimeters of rain per day, winds of 100 km/h, hail: certain regions of the center and southeast of the country have been affected by strong storms since Friday, according to the National Institute of Meteorology ( INMET).
In the state of São Paulo, the country’s most populous, seven people died, many from falling trees and collapsed walls, the state’s Civil Defense reported.
PHOTO MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Much of the city of São Paulo was left in darkness and at least 1.6 million homes were without electricity, energy group Enel said.
In Brasilia, one soldier died and another was injured by a falling tree while removing a flag in front of the military police headquarters, according to the region’s military command.
Also in the capital, officials of the Chamber of Deputies had to open umbrellas in plenary session in the face of water falling from the ceiling, leaks which affected electronic equipment, according to images broadcast in the media and social networks .
Much of the city of São Paulo was left in darkness and at least 1.6 million homes were without electricity, energy group Enel said.
In some localities, entire sections of the network have been damaged and kilometers of network will have to be reconstructed, poles, transformers and other equipment replaced.
The energy group Enel
These heavy rains come after one of the worst periods of drought that Brazil has experienced since records began, dry weather which favored the spread of fires.
In Brasilia, the heavy rains were greeted with relief, after a record of more than 165 days without rain.