Eldorado do Sul declares emergency after severe storm displaces 720
A powerful thunderstorm struck the Rio Grande do Sul region on the night of 11 July, bringing intense winds, large hail and heavy rain. In Eldorado do Sul, roofs were ripped off, trees and power poles toppled, and the electricity grid was knocked out. The municipal defence‑civil reported that 180 homes were destelhadas, ten were completely destroyed and a total of 720 residents were forced to leave their houses. The mayor declared a state of emergency and suspended school classes while distributing tarps, mattresses and other relief items.
Six municipalities in the metropolitan area – including Canoas, Glorinha, Butiá and Tramandaí – reported similar damage and hundreds of people displaced. The regional defence‑civil warned that the same atmospheric instability, driven by a cold front and an extratropical cyclone, will bring further strong rain, wind gusts of 60‑80 km/h and hail across southern Brazil, including Santa Catarina, where authorities have issued alerts for thunderstorms, flooding and landslides.
State meteorological services forecast additional heavy precipitation for the coming days, raising the risk of new flooding and power outages throughout the south.