Heavy rains have led to flooding and widespread power outages affecting 67,000 households in Greater São Paulo, highlighting vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure during severe weather.
On February 16, 2023, heavy rains hit São Paulo and its metropolitan area, causing significant disruption, including electricity outages for approximately 67,000 residences. The Enel power company reported that the capital, São Paulo, was particularly hard-hit, with around 53,700 customers without electricity, representing about 0.9% of their total service area. Taboão da Serra emerged as the municipality with the highest percentage of outages, with 10,200 homes affected, equating to 8.3% of the city's total connections.
As the situation unfolded, the Civil Defense issued alerts regarding the severe weather conditions, which worsened during the afternoon. Authorities noted at least four locations in São Paulo city that experienced flooding, as the city remained on alert from mid-afternoon onward. The conditions raised safety concerns, particularly during a festive period like Carnival when many residents are out and about, increasing the risk for pedestrians and vehicles alike.
In response to the outages and flooding, Enel has yet to provide an official update. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges that metropolitan areas face in managing infrastructure and emergency responses during extreme weather events. The incident may prompt discussions regarding future preparedness and resilience strategies in light of climate threats.
