Baseball-Sized Hailstorm Leaves a Path of Destruction in Southern Brazil

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Hailstorm batters southern Brazil, leaving 152 injured and hundreds of homes damaged

Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil – A rare and intense hailstorm, dropping baseball-sized hail, battered the city of Erechim in southern Brazil on the 24th (local time), leaving a trail of destruction and injuring over 150 people.

The hail, which lasted for about 20 minutes, caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure in Erechim and nearby regions. Schools, homes, and even trees were no match for thesizeable ice balls that pummeled the city. The force of the hail was strong enough to break tree branches and cause power outages.

aftermath

• 152 injured, including people hit by hail or fragments of broken buildings
• 35 schools and hundreds of homes reported damaged
• About 25,900 people in 6,400 households affected
• Governor Eduardo Leite approves emergency funds worth 500,000 real (~400 million won)

Videos shared by residents on social media showed cars with cracked rear windshields and lawns covered in white hailstones. Authorities reported that the hailstones, some as large as a baseball, pummeled the city with such force that they caused flooding and electrical outages in some areas.

What is hail and why is it so damaging?

Hail is a form of frozen precipitation that occurs when a rising air current in a cloud is strong enough to carry raindrops up into the evaluating layer where they freeze and grow. When the rising airflow weakens or stops, the hailstones fall to the ground, often causing significant damage.

In recent times, hailstorms have become more frequent and intense due to climate change, leading to increased property damage and displaced people. The hailstorm in Erechim is no exception, leaving a trail of chaos and havoc in its wake.

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Takeaway:

While hailstorms can cause significant damage and upheaval, the people of Erechim and nearby regions are resilient and are working together to rebuild and recover from this devastating event.