The Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul issued, this Friday (17), five alerts for residents and people passing through different regions of the state. The warnings cover several cities where rain and strong winds are expected, accompanied by electrical discharges and the possibility of hail later today.
The warning applies to the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, in addition to an extensive area of Serra Geral, Vales, Costa Doce, the north coast and the extreme south of Rio Grande do Sul. The recommendation is that the population pay attention to reports from official municipal bodies, learn about local contingency plans to know how to identify risks and how to act if necessary. If people are surprised by severe adverse conditions, they should seek shelter immediately.
According to the state Civil Defense, the storm that hit the city of Campo Bom, in Vale do Rio dos Sinos, about 50 kilometers from Porto Alegre, partially destroyed at least 28 properties. Another five houses were roofed in Caxias do Sul. Damage was also recorded in Novo Hamburgo and Piratini.
In the capital, Porto Alegre, the municipal Civil Defense issued a preventive alert regarding the possibility of storms with strong gusts of wind occurring until 6 pm today. Yesterday (16), intense rain caused flooding in different parts of the city, interrupting vehicle traffic. Residents of some neighborhoods reported hail falling and municipal agencies were called to remove trees and branches that fell due to the force of the winds. At least one property was partially roofed, and one person was injured by a falling panel.
Civil Defense recommends that the population avoid flooded areas and be aware of the possibility of falling tree branches and other possible consequences of rain and strong winds. The agency also advises people to, in the event of a storm, seek shelter in safe places, staying away from poles, trees and structures that could be knocked down by gusts of wind.
