Santa Catarina storms cause structural damage and road closures

Severe storms and high winds have caused significant damage across the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. In Chapecó, wind gusts reaching up to 86.3 km/h tore off metal roofing and caused partial structural collapses. In one incident, a wall from a building under construction collapsed onto a vehicle on Avenida Fernando Machado; two young occupants sustained minor injuries.

In addition to wind damage, heavy rainfall has caused rising river levels in the northern municipalities of Rio Negrinho and Mafra, placing them under close monitoring. On the SC-355 highway, a fallen tree obstructed traffic and struck a vehicle, though no injuries were reported. The Civil Defense had previously issued alerts for storms, lightning, wind gusts, and potential hail across the Mid-West region.