Monster tornado leaves trail of carnage in Brazil's Parana; at least 6 killed, over 700 injured—watch video
Six people died and more than 700 were reported injured after a tornado struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, in what the state government says was one of the most extreme weather events to ever hit the region.
A tornado struck the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, killing six people and injuring more than 700 in what state officials call one of the most extreme weather events ever to hit the region.
After analysing the damage and weather conditions, the state’s climate monitoring agency, Simepar, upgraded Friday’s tornado from category F2 to F3. “In terms of magnitude, it was certainly the most devastating tornado we’ve ever had” in the state of Parana, Bloomberg quoted Simepar meteorologist Lizandro Jacobsen as saying.
Photos released by Paraná’s Civil Defense showed widespread destruction in the municipality of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, with homes, vehicles, and roads heavily damaged after the tornado. The state government reported that more than 90% of the town was affected, while authorities continued efforts to restore water and electricity services.
According to the US National Weather Service, an F3 tornado is classified as “severe", with wind speeds ranging from 158 to 206 mph (254 to 331 kilometers per hour).
Severe weather events have become more common in southern Brazil, a significant grain and meat producer. Parts of Parana have faced heavy rains in November, prompting authorities to declare state of emergency across many cities.
Brazil Tornado: President Luiz Lula expresses condolences
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has selected a group of ministers to travel to the region to coordinate emergency aid response to the affected population, according to an X post. There has been no information on the economic impact of the tornado, the report noted.
“I want to express my deepest condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in the tornado in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu and in Guarapuava, in Paraná. And to offer my solidarity to all the people who were affected," Lula said.
He added, “A team led by Minister Gleisi Hoffmann, composed of the Ministries of Health and Regional Integration and Development, is heading to the region. National Civil Defense technicians specialized in humanitarian aid and reconstruction are already on their way to the cities, and professionals from the National SUS Force will provide assistance to the population and to the Paraná state government teams involved in the rescue and aid to the victims. We will continue supporting the Paraná population. And providing all the necessary assistance.”
The federal government must now balance its response to the disaster in Paraná with the COP30 summit underway in the northern state of Pará, where the capital city, Belém, is hosting 50,000 participants for climate diplomacy talks.