Strong winds leave millions in Brazil’s Sao Paulo without power, cutting water and flights
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
An extratropical cyclone swept through Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, toppling trees and power lines on Dec 10.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
- Cyclone in Sao Paulo on 10 Dec caused power outages to 2 million, disrupting water and air travel, with winds up to 98kmh.
- Enel restored power to 500,000 customers, but faces scrutiny from regulator Aneel; Sabesp water pumps were also affected.
- Congonhas cancelled 192 flights, Guarulhos cancelled 117; operations at Guarulhos returned to normal on 11 Dec.
AI generated
SAO PAULO – About 1.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity on Dec 11 after an extratropical cyclone swept through Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, toppling trees and power lines and disrupting flights and the water supply.
Damaging wind storms also caused vast power outages in 2023 and 2024, putting utility firm Enel under intense public scrutiny.
Enel said gusts of up to 98kmh battered the region during a 12-hour gale on Dec 10, with impacts lingering into Dec 11 across the city of 11.5 million people and the wider metro region.
About two million customers in the area lost electricity during the storm’s peak, Enel said in a statement early on Dec 11, adding that service had been restored to 500,000.
Power regulator ANEEL demanded that the company provide detailed explanations for the disruptions.
Water utility SABESP warned that outages had hit its pumps, affecting neighbourhoods across the area.
“The long time without power to pump water heavily impacted the system. Supply is being resumed gradually,” SABESP said.
Air travel also faced disruptions. Airport operator AENA said Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, which handles domestic flights, was open on Dec 11 but had cancelled 31 arrivals and 15 departures, after scratching 181 flights on Dec 10.
At Guarulhos International Airport, one of Latin America’s busiest, 61 arrivals and 56 departures were cancelled on Dec 10, its operator said in a separate statement, adding that operations were back to normal early on Dec 11. REUTERS
Wind gusts of up to 98kmh battered the Sao Paulo metropolitan area during a 12-hour gale on Dec 10.
PHOTO: REUTERS
