 "The twister overturned cars and damaged homes in the municipality of Rio Bonito do Iguacu. (Representational Image/Reuters)")
At least five people were killed, and about 130 others sustained injuries after a tornado swept through the municipality of Rio Bonito do Iguacu in southern Brazil’s Parana state on Friday, according to authorities.
The violent storm overturned cars, damaged homes and uprooted trees across the town, which has a population of around 14,000. Winds reached speeds between 180 and 250 kilometres per hour (110 and 155 miles per hour), the state’s environmental technology and monitoring agency reported.
Parana’s civil defense confirmed the five fatalities and said initial reports indicated 30 people sustained serious and moderate injuries, while about 100 suffered minor wounds. The agency also reported structural damage to several properties, including masonry collapse in some homes.
Emergency response and storm alerts issued
Governor Ratinho Junior said on X that state security forces had been mobilised and were monitoring areas affected by the severe storms. Emergency services continued to assist residents and assess damage in the aftermath of the tornado.
Weather authorities issued an alert for dangerous storms across all of Parana, extending to the southern states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, warning residents to remain vigilant as severe weather conditions persisted.