RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The heavy downpour that struck São Paulo from late afternoon on Sunday, February 9th, has caused destruction and chaos during the day. The storm caused rivers to overflow, dozens of floodings, landslides and brought the city to a halt.
Over Monday night, February 10th, the water level did not drop and several points of the city remained submerged, including stretches of the ringroads Marginal Pinheiros and Tietê.
The water level only began to lower in the early hours of Tuesday, February 11th.
The Bandeiras Bridge at Marginal Tietê was flooded for around 17 hours. Neighborhoods remained flooded in the North Zone, like Vila Guilherme, and Vila Leopoldina, in the West Zone of the city. Throughout the day, the city recorded 164 points of flooding.
The circulation of public transport (buses, subway, and trains) was hindered, and the city suspended vehicle traffic, a measure that will continue to be effective throughout Tuesday.
Business estimates a loss of R$110 (US$27.5) million.
In the state education system, classes were suspended in 40 schools affected by the rains, which will remain closed this Tuesday. In the municipal network, 44 public schools have had classes suspended, but the city government expects them all to reopen on Tuesday.
The forecast is for cloudy skies this Tuesday and showers to hit Greater São Paulo and the capital, according to the CGE. The temperature should vary between 18ºC and 21ºC. On Wednesday, February 12th, short, isolated showers are expected.
Record rainfall
The volume of water recorded in the 24-hour interval was the highest for February in 37 years, reported the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET).
The Tietê and Pinheiros rivers overflowed, something that had not occurred since March 2016.
Several people were isolated in houses and streets, and many could not get to work. Boats were used in rescue operations. The recommendation of the State Fire and Civil Defense is that people avoid leaving their homes.
The firefighters recorded 1018 flooding incidents, 170 collapsed trees and 182 landslides in the capital and Greater São Paulo. In Osasco, an 8-year-old boy was buried and rescued alive. The city government decreed a state of calamity, and other municipalities in Greater São Paulo suffered landslides, leaving people homeless.
The storm was caused by a cold front moving northward along the São Paulo coast, associated with an area of low atmospheric pressure.
According to the CGE, it has rained approximately 208 mm in ten days, which is equivalent to 96 percent of the expected average for the month of February (216.7 mm).
Source: G1