SAO PAULO—Approximately 1.4 million households in Sao Paulo, Brazil, remained without electricity on Saturday, nearly 24 hours after a brief yet intense storm passed through South America’s largest city. The storm resulted in at least seven fatalities.
Officials in Sao Paulo state reported that record-breaking wind gusts on Friday night, reaching speeds of up to 67 mph, caused the destruction of transmission lines and the uprooting of trees, leading to extensive damage in certain areas. The storm also forced the closure of multiple airports and disrupted water supply in various regions, according to the state government.
One individual lost their life when a tree fell on an outdoor market stall, authorities confirmed. Additionally, at least six other individuals in the surrounding Sao Paulo state also perished.
Initially, authorities anticipated restoring power within a few hours. However, several neighborhoods in the metropolitan region, home to 21 million residents, were still experiencing power outages on Saturday. Residents were advised to conserve water due to the situation.
The majority of the power disruptions occurred within the service area of a single utility company, Enel-Sao Paulo, which is partially owned by AES Corporation. In May, the Virginia-based power firm announced the sale of its 47 percent stake in its Brazilian unit for $640 million.
Regulators mandated an inspection of the utility company, cautioning that if the outages are not promptly and effectively resolved, the private concession could be revoked.
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Enel stated that 17 high-voltage transmission lines were impacted by the storm but did not specify a timeframe for restoring service.
