Extratropical Cyclone Pounds Southern Brazil, Leaving Three Dead and Disrupting Transport

Overview

• Santa Catarina authorities confirmed a couple and their five‑month‑old baby died in Palhoça after a Land Rover was swept away while crossing floodwaters, with the infant found outside the vehicle by police.
• A tornado in Flores da Cunha, Rio Grande do Sul, damaged roofs and buildings as estimated winds topped 100 km/h, and Defesa Civil distributed tarps, generators, a Starlink antenna and a motobomba to assist residents.
• Rainfall far exceeded typical December levels in parts of Greater Florianópolis, including about 137 mm in 12 hours in Palhoça and more than 146 mm in six hours in Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, according to state reports.
• In São Paulo, a bus drivers’ strike combined with heavy rain produced the city’s worst traffic of 2025, power outages affected roughly 100,000 Enel customers, and the government activated a crisis cabinet to coordinate response efforts.
• Transport was repeatedly interrupted by accidents and weather impacts, including a cotton‑laden truck fire that closed the Anchieta, lane blocks and crashes on the Dutra and Régis Bittencourt, and additional incidents on SP‑304 and MG highways attended by PRF, concessionaires and fire-rescue teams.