Cyclone Devastates Sao Paulo, Causes Massive Power Outages and Flight Chaos

A giant windstorm in Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic capital, triggered by a cyclone on Wednesday, caused widespread devastation, leaving over a million people without power and leading to dozens of flight cancellations.

The megalopolis was hit by gale-force winds exceeding 90 km/h. The weather event initially left more than two million people without electricity, with 1.2 million still waiting for power to be restored almost 24 hours later. Power utility firm Enel described the 12-hour storm as "historic," noting that the damage to electrical infrastructure was severe due to 231 reported fallen trees that toppled onto power lines.

The crisis led to public anger, prompting the state government to demand that Enel submit a comprehensive emergency response plan, especially after images showed the utility's vehicle lot full during the peak of the crisis. The fierce winds also caused chaos at Sao Paulo's main airports, with Congonhas airport alone reporting 39 cancelled arrivals and 28 cancelled departures on Thursday.