Five people have died after powerful gusts of wind in Brazil brought chaos to Rio de Janeiro and parts of Sao Paulo state, cutting power and bringing public transport to a standstill.
Residents of Rio de Janeiro were taken by surprise when winds of up to 100km/h hit just before rush hour, felling dozens of trees and leaving thousands stranded as the city’s three subway queues ground to a halt.
The fire department said in a statement that two people had died when a wall collapsed in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and a fisherman was missing in the coastal town of Tarituba.
In Santos, in the state of Sao Paulo, wind gusts of up to 111km/h caused widespread damage, and a homeless person was killed by a fallen tree, local authorities said in a statement.
Operations were affected at several major airports in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
Santos Dumont Airport, Rio’s downtown airport serving mostly domestic flights, said in a statement that it had suspended operations for about two hours.