6 killed, 750 injured as powerful storm hits Brazil

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least six people have been killed and 750 others injured after a powerful storm struck Brazil’s southern state of Paraná, a media report said on Sunday.

According to Al Jazeera, the storm hit on Friday evening with wind speeds reaching 250 kilometers per hour, destroying nearly 90 percent of the city of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu — a town of about 14,000 residents — in less than a minute.

It said five of the victims were from Rio Bonito do Iguaçu and one from the nearby city of Guarapuava and about 750 others sustained injuries.

Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior, the governor of Paraná, has declared three days of public mourning, while officials warned the death toll may rise as search and rescue operations continue.

hz/ma