Destructive windstorm hits São Paulo, Brazil: 3 injured and gusts reach 80 km/h

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This is a complete or partial translation of the article "Vendaval no interior de SP deixa três feridos após estado registrar número recorde de queimadas", from the Portuguese language Wikinews, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Sunday, August 25, 2024

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 24, 2024, a powerful windstorm struck the interior of São Paulo, causing significant disruptions and injuring three people. The storm, fueled by a cold front's squall line, brought intense winds and dust to several cities.

The Pirassununga air base recorded the highest gust at 80 km/h. Campinas saw gusts of 75.9 km/h, while Piracicaba and Pradópolis reported up to 72.7 km/h. Less likely, some estimates suggest gusts might have approached 90 km/h based on reported effects.

In Piracicaba, the windstorm caused severe damage, collapsing a metal structure at the Sthorm Festival and injuring three peoples. A man sustained head injuries, and two women had minor arm injuries. The storm also brought down trees, damaged roofs, and disrupted electricity across multiple areas, including São Carlos, Araraquara, and Brotas.

The windstorm hitting Piracicaba
Image: Erik dos Santos.

In the city of Campinas, the wind knocked down about 15 trees throughout the city, and in the Jardim Paranapanema neighborhood, part of the windows of an apartment were torn out. In the city of Sumaré, a tree fell on a car.

This storm adds to the ongoing weather-related challenges in São Paulo, already facing a severe fire outbreak that has significantly worsened air quality. Between August 22 and 23, the entire state recorded 2,316 fire outbreaks, a historical record that caused an orange sky and a red sunset yesterday.