Extratropical Cyclone Knocks Out Power to Millions in Brazil

An extratropical cyclone caused power outages to over 2 million consumers in Brazil's Sao Paulo area, heavily impacting the local Enel power unit. The storm led to numerous incidents of fallen trees and floods, with wind gusts exceeding 80 km/h.

An extratropical cyclone on Wednesday disrupted electricity supply to over 2 million consumers in Brazil's Sao Paulo metropolitan area, affecting 35% of those served by Enel, the Italian power giant's local unit. By Wednesday afternoon, power had been cut to approximately 2.2 million customers according to the company's website.

In Sao Paulo city alone, 1.4 million people lost electricity. Enel Sao Paulo promptly mobilized teams to restore service, as the utility company faced mounting criticism following a series of weather-related power failures in recent years. Wind speeds exceeded 80 km/h, reaching up to 90 km/h, prompting warnings of severe rainstorms across Sao Paulo state.

The storm's impact included 514 reports of fallen trees and five instances of flooding, as reported by local firefighters. The consequences of the cyclone emphasize the ongoing vulnerabilities of urban infrastructure amid extreme weather conditions.