A devastating tornado struck the southern Brazilian town of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring around 750 others. The storm, with winds up to 250 km/h, destroyed about 90% of the town, flattening homes and public buildings. Rescue teams continue searching for survivors as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sent federal aid. The disaster follows a year of severe flooding in southern Brazil, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on extreme weather events in the region.
Tornado Devastates Southern Brazil Town, Killing Six and Injuring 750
A powerful tornado ripped through southern Brazil on Friday evening, killing at least six people and injuring around 750 others as it destroyed most of a small town in Paraná state, authorities confirmed Saturday.
The twister struck Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, a town of about 14,000 residents, with ferocious winds reaching up to 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph). The violent storm flipped vehicles, leveled homes, and reduced schools, shops, and community buildings to rubble within minutes.
Aerial images showed the town almost completely obliterated — roofs torn off, cars overturned, and debris scattered across vast areas. Officials said about 90 percent of the town sustained damage, leaving hundreds homeless.
On Saturday morning, shocked and displaced residents picked through the ruins of their homes, trying to recover what little remained.
“I arrived home and found myself without a roof over my head,” said Nereu Sabadini, 51, who was working outside the town when the tornado hit. “I’m homeless now, and rebuilding will take some time.”
Another resident, Roselei Dalcandon, stood beside the remains of her destroyed shop, struggling to hold back tears. “It destroyed everything — the houses, schools, the whole town. What will become of us?” she asked.
Authorities reported that at least nine people were seriously injured, while one person remains missing — a figure that could rise as search and rescue operations continue.
Emergency crews and firefighters worked through the night, searching for survivors amid collapsed buildings. Temporary shelters were set up in neighboring towns to house displaced families.
“It looks like a war zone,” said Fernando Schunig, head of Paraná’s Civil Defense agency. “The likelihood of more fatalities is high because the tornado hit directly in the center of town. When such storms strike urban areas, the destruction is massive and often deadly.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with the victims and said a team of ministers and disaster-relief experts had been deployed to the area to coordinate recovery efforts.
Meteorologists issued storm warnings for much of southern Brazil, including Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul, as the severe weather pattern continued to sweep across the region. Other cities in these states also reported strong winds, heavy rain, and hail.
The latest disaster comes barely a year after catastrophic floods devastated southern Brazil, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul, where more than 200 people were killed and two million displaced — one of the country’s worst natural disasters in recent memory. Experts have warned that climate change and global warming are intensifying extreme weather events in Brazil, increasing both their frequency and severity.