MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Storm in São Paulo leaves at least 7 people dead

Parts of the State still have electricity and water supply problems

Local authorities confirmed Sunday that the death toll from the storm that hit São Paulo last Friday had risen to 7, Agencia Brasil reported. The latest victim accounted for was a crew member of a boat that sank off Ilhabela while two survivors from the same vessel had been rescued, according to the State’s Civil Defense.

Another four people died because of falling trees. One each in the municipalities of Osasco and Suzano in the Greater São Paulo area, and two others in the eastern part of the state capital.

Winds Friday reached 151 km/h in Santos, the port administration said, while in the city of São Paulo, the gusts reached 103.7 km/h, a record for the last five years.

Around 100 distress calls for collapses were answered statewide, in cases involving damage to walls, houses, and the collapse of buildings. State and municipal Civil Defenses and Fire Departments registered more than 2,000 calls in 40 cities. No new storms or gales are expected in the coming days.

At least 2.1 million people were left without power in São Paulo and 23 municipalities in the metropolitan region. It is estimated that the services will be fully restored by Tuesday.

The collapse of the electricity grid also has an impact on the water supply. The São Paulo State Basic Sanitation Company (Sabesp) has asked consumers to act cautiously until the situation is normalized. “The power outage paralyzed the company's facilities and pumping stations, affecting the level of reservoirs and, consequently, the water supply in several regions,” the supplier said in a statement.

“Until the entire system is fully normalized, it is recommended that customers make conscious use of water and prioritize its use for hygiene and food,” the company advised.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)