A tornado has struck the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, killing six people and injuring more than 700 in what state officials are calling one of the most extreme weather events to hit the region.
After analyzing the damage and weather conditions, state climate monitoring agency Simepar upgraded Friday’s tornado from F2 to F3. “In terms of size, it was certainly the most destructive tornado we’ve ever had” in Paraná state, Simepar meteorologist Lizandro Jacobsen was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
Photos released by the Civil Defense of Paraná showed widespread destruction in the municipality of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, with houses, vehicles and roads heavily damaged after the tornado. The state government reported that more than 90% of the city was affected, while authorities continued to try to restore water and electricity supplies.
According to the US National Weather Service, an F3 tornado is classified as “strong”, 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 major producer of grain and meat. Parts of Paraná faced heavy rains in November, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in many towns.
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 the emergency response to the affected population, according to X’s post. There is no information on the economic impact of the tornado, the report said.
“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, Paraná. And to express 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 the Ministries of 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 government teams of the state of Paraná involved in rescue and assistance to all victims.”
The federal government must now balance its response to the Paraná disaster with the COP30 summit underway in the northern state of Pará, where the capital Belém is hosting 50,000 climate diplomacy participants.
