# Rio de Janeiro windstorm disruptions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/rio-de-janeiro-windstorm-disruptions
> Updated: 2026-08-04T11:27:07.000Z. Sources: 36. Developments: 2.

A severe windstorm struck Rio de Janeiro on 29 March, producing gusts of 105.5 km/h at Galeão International Airport and knocking out electricity for about 1.1 million customers. The hardest damage was reported in western neighborhoods and nearby municipalities, prompting utility firms to deploy roughly 1,500 emergency workers and generators. The state justice court ordered Light to restore service urgently, imposing a daily fine of R$ 50,000 for non‑compliance.

On 4 August (2024), municipal civil defense raised the wind alert to Stage 2 after forecasts warned of moderate to strong winds with gusts up to 76 km/h, especially in western and coastal districts. Residents were urged to avoid trees and metal structures and to sign up for free SMS warnings. Power outages persisted for more than 30 hours in some areas, three weather‑related deaths were recorded, and a foam mattress was lifted onto a tree on Ipanema Avenue. Energy distributors accelerated grid‑resilience investments, raising annual spending from R$ 18 billion in 2021 to an expected R$ 41 billion by 2025, focusing on digitalisation, automation and underground lines.

A similar Stage 2 wind alert was issued again on 4 August 2026, with forecasts of gusts up to 76 km/h and isolated reports exceeding 100 km/h. The Defesa Civil sent SMS warnings covering western and coastal zones. The gusts caused two deaths, the fall of hundreds of trees and outages affecting more than 800 000 electricity customers. Enel Rio activated its emergency plan, preparing for possible gusts of up to 90 km/h. The Brazilian Association of Electricity Distributors reiterated its commitment to raise annual investment to R$ 41 billion by 2025, with over 40 % earmarked for grid modernisation and digitalisation. The foam‑mattress incident on Ipanema was reported again, underscoring the recurring unusual hazards of these wind events.

## Claims

- Forecasts predicted wind gusts up to 76 km/h, with some reports of gusts exceeding 100 km/h. (disputed by 2 sources)
- Enel Rio activated its emergency plan for possible wind gusts up to 90 km/h on Friday. (disputed)
- Rio de Janeiro entered a Stage 2 wind alert on the night of 4 August 2026 at 19:00. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Defesa Civil sent a severe alert by SMS to residents, urging them to avoid trees and metal structures. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The wind caused power outages affecting more than 800,000 electricity customers. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- ABRADEE reported that annual investment will increase from R$ 18 billion in 2021 to R$ 41 billion in 2025, with over 40 % allocated to grid modernization. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- A foam mattress was lifted by the wind onto a tree in Ipanema and rescued by the Corpo de Bombeiros. (single source)
- The Fluminense vs Vasco football match scheduled for 5 August will be played under windy conditions. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-04: Rio de Janeiro issues Stage 2 wind alert as gusts up to 76 km/h threaten city

Rio entered a Stage 2 wind alert with gusts up to 76 km/h (some up to 100 km/h), prompting safety warnings, power outages for 800 k+ customers, utility emergency plans, and odd incidents like a mattress rescued

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rio-de-janeiro-placed-in-stage-2-alert-as-winds-up-to-76-kmh-expected

### 2026-08-01: Rio de Janeiro windstorm leaves over 26,000 without power

A March 29 windstorm in Rio de Janeiro left over 26,000 without power; Light and Enel are restoring service, with courts ordering urgent restoration and consumer agencies guiding compensation claims.

22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rio-de-janeiro-windstorm-leaves-over-26000-homes-without-electricity

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Cite as: Rio de Janeiro windstorm disruptions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/rio-de-janeiro-windstorm-disruptions