The rainstorms during Sunday evening (10th) and Monday morning (11th) caused at least 12 deaths in São Paulo and five surrounding cities, financial losses of R$ 45 million (US$ 12 million), 94 fallen trees and flooded streets, buildings, schools, houses and cars.
The casualties are the highest since 2016, when 17 people died, and third highest since 1987 when a storm caused 53 deaths.
The number of people displaced is still unknown. Many spent the night on their roofs or were unable to leave their workplace Sunday night or go to work Monday morning.
Many buildings were evacuated because they risked collapse, and there were at least 54 landslides. São Paulo's fire department and military police registered 1,261 incidents.
Mayor Bruno Covas (PSDB) was out of the country, on vacation. On Monday, he announced he was cutting his time off short and would be coming back on Tuesday morning.
Councilman and acting mayor Eduardo Tuma (PSDB) said that the chaos caused by the storm was impossible to predict. "It was an extraordinary event. There was nothing we could have done to avoid what happened today," he said.
Governor João Doria (PSDB) flew by helicopter over the flooded areas Monday morning. Later, during a press conference, he asked residents to stay home.
The Mercedes-Benz truck factory in São Bernardo do Campo was also flooded. The company stopped production and crews are working on cleanup to restore activities as soon as possible.
Suburban train stations also were flooded, which caused record traffic in São Paulo and the surrounding areas.
Translated by NATASHA MADOV