Authorities in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná declared a state of public calamity on Saturday in municipalities hit the day before by an unprecedented tornado that left at least six dead and 750 injured, as well as a city in ruins by 90%.
The meteorological phenomenon of unprecedented dimensions, with winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, storms and hail, left about 10,000 people homeless in fourteen municipalities of Paraná, a southern Brazilian state bordering Argentina.
The cities hardest hit were Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, where five fatalities were reported, and Guarapuava, with one death in its rural area. However, rescue teams are still searching for a reported missing person and other possible victims under the rubble of dozens of homes.
According to meteorological services, the destruction was caused by a tornado that formed within a supercell, as extreme storms are known, characterized by their long duration and the presence of a main rotating updraft.
The governor of Paraná, Ratinho Junior, who declared the calamity to mobilize resources without restrictions to fund emergency measures, announced that once rescue workers finish searching for victims, he will begin the work of rebuilding homes. The governor, who visited the affected region, also declared an official three-day mourning period in memory of the victims.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced on social media that he sent several members of his Cabinet and medical teams to Paraná to assist in both reconstruction and rescue efforts.
