Tornado Levels Much of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu: 6 Dead, About 750 Injured as Town Is Devastated

Deadly tornado devastates southern Brazilian town

A powerful tornado struck the town of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu in the southern state of Paraná on Friday evening, killing at least six people and injuring roughly 750, authorities said Saturday. The twister — which officials measured with winds up to 250 km/h (155 mph) — swept through the town of about 14,000 residents in a matter of minutes, leaving widespread destruction.

Aerial images showed large areas flattened and debris scattered across streets as emergency teams worked to clear rubble and search for survivors. Officials estimate that about 90% of the municipality sustained some damage.

Immediate impact and response

Rescue crews and local medical teams treated approximately 750 people for injuries, nine of whom were reported in serious condition. One person was listed as missing as search-and-rescue operations continued. A temporary shelter was established in a neighboring town to house displaced residents.

"It is a war scene," said Fernando Schunig, head of the Paraná Civil Defense agency, describing the scale of the destruction after the tornado cut through the town center. "When these events hit an urban area, the damage is major. It is very lethal."

Local resident Nereu Sabadini, 51, told AFP he had been working outside town when the tornado struck: "I arrived home and found myself without a roof over my head. I'm homeless and rebuilding will take some time." Another resident, Roselei Dalcandon, stood beside the rubble of a store and said: "It destroyed everything. It destroyed the town, houses, schools. What will become of us?"

Government action and wider weather warnings

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said a team of ministers and disaster-relief experts were being dispatched to assist the town and expressed his solidarity with those affected. Weather authorities issued storm warnings for the entire state of Paraná and neighboring states Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, where other cities also reported strong winds, hail and violent storms as the system moved through the region.

This disaster follows catastrophic flooding in the region last year — particularly in Rio Grande do Sul — which killed more than 200 people and displaced roughly two million. Experts have linked the severity of recent extreme weather events in southern Brazil in part to climate change.

Ongoing operations

Search teams continue to comb collapsed buildings and piles of wreckage for survivors and bodies. Authorities warned the death toll could rise as rescue operations proceed and more areas are assessed.