Violent winds sweeping across southeastern Brazil on July 29 killed at least five people and battered infrastructure across Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, paralyzing transport networks and triggering widespread power outages.
In Rio de Janeiro, gusts reaching 105.5 km/h at Galeão International Airport downed trees, collapsed walls, and killed two people in a wall collapse, while a fisherman was reported missing. The storm disrupted metro services, halted suburban trains, and forced Santos Dumont Airport to suspend operations. In São Paulo state, winds measured at 111 km/h killed three people, including a homeless person struck by a falling tree in Santos and a drowned fisherman.
Rio de Janeiro City Hall declared a Stage Two emergency alert. Power utility Light restored electricity citywide by 18:00, and firefighters carried out 26 rescues across the capital.