A tornado accompanied by fierce winds and heavy rainfall struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, as confirmed by the state government on Saturday. The town most severely impacted was Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, where over half of the urban area experienced roof collapses and various structural damages, with blocked roads and disrupted power lines. The state’s civil defense agency reported these damages, stating that 437 individuals received medical treatment and approximately 1,000 were displaced, while the nearby city of Guarapuava also felt the tornado’s impact.
The Parana Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring System stated that the tornado’s winds reached speeds ranging between 180 km/h and 250 km/h. Minister of Institutional Relations Gleisi Hoffmann announced plans to visit the affected area on Saturday, accompanied by acting Health Minister Adriano Massuda and other federal officials, to extend support for rescue operations and reconstruction efforts.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed condolences to the victims’ families on the social media platform X, affirming continued assistance and support for the people of Parana.