Rio de Janeiro experiences strong winds and fallen trees

Strong winds hit Rio de Janeiro early Saturday morning, causing trees to fall and blocking roads in several neighborhoods. The most severe incident occurred in Laranjeiras on Rua Pinheiro Machado, where a fallen tree blocked traffic near Fluminense. The Companhia de Limpeza Urbana (Comlurb) was deployed to clear the area.

Wind gusts reached up to 67.7 km/h, with the highest recorded at the Forte de Copacabana station between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM. Other significant gusts were recorded at Santos Dumont Airport and Vidigal. Another tree fell in the Riachuelo neighborhood, though it did not significantly impact traffic.

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall and the Centro de Operações Rio (COR) have issued safety advisories, warning residents to avoid standing under trees, metal structures, or near electrical cables. Forecasts suggest continued weather instability, with light to moderate rain expected in the morning and a possibility of heavy showers with lightning in the afternoon.