Severe Hailstorm Hits Southern Brazil, Leaving Dead and Thousands Homeless

Impact in Florianópolis and Santa Catarina

The intense weather system slammed the northern part of Santa Catarina island, hitting popular destinations like Canasvieiras, Ingleses, Jurerê, Daniela, and Cachoeira do Bom Jesus.

Hailstones reaching the size of eggs and tennis balls battered the region, shattering vehicle windshields, punching holes in roofs, and blanketing local beaches in ice. Epagri/Ciram, the meteorological agency of Santa Catarina, attributed the sudden storm to an advancing cold front along the state’s coastline. In Florianópolis, officials reported that up to 2,000 houses were affected, while regional data showed more than 3,200 houses impacted across 24 municipalities in the state.

Casualties and Municipal Responses

The severe weather resulted in confirmed fatalities.

In response to the widespread destruction, municipal authorities in Florianópolis and neighboring cities including Biguaçu, Ipuaçu, Bom Jesus, and Quilombo declared states of emergency. Emergency declarations allow local governments to fast-track assistance, distribute protective tarps for damaged roofs, and deliver replacement tiles. Municipalities also worked to clear downed trees, restore power lines, and clear roads blocked by debris.

Ongoing Meteorological Alerts

The alert warns of persistent severe weather, including rainfall totals exceeding 60 millimeters per hour, daily accumulations surpassing 100 millimeters, renewed hail events, and wind gusts topping 100 kilometers per hour.

Meteorological forecasters linked the heightened risk to a developing cold front and an extratropical cyclone forming over the eastern part of Rio Grande do Sul. Local officials in Florianópolis advised residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and disconnect sensitive electrical appliances as emergency crews continued damage assessments and distribution of relief supplies.