Curitiba faced severe disruptions on Thursday afternoon, February 27, 2025, as intense rainstorms hit the city, leading to considerable flooding and power outages throughout the metropolitan area. The rain, which totaled 41.6 mm within just 30 minutes, overwhelmed local drainage systems and resulted in significant flooding at the Boqueirão bus terminal, one of the city's primary transport hubs.
Images from the scene displayed the terminal inundated, with water covering the walkways and shops within the facility. Commuters had no choice but to wade through the water to reach their buses. According to the local government, the heavy rainfall caused minor delays on two bus lines, but services quickly returned to their regular schedule.
Representatives from the Curitiba Meteorological Service, part of the Defense Civil, indicated, "...rainfall of 41.6 mm within 30 minutes, considered well above average." This amount of rain fell rapidly, leading to significant surface runoff and flooding.
The flooding at the bus terminal was exacerbated by inadequate drainage capacity, as nearby catchment basins failed to cope with the influx of water. To combat future flooding, the city has installed a retention basin at the bus terminal with the capacity for 500 cubic meters of water, along with conducting regular maintenance on the Belém River.
Despite these preventive measures, the effects of the storm were felt widely, with the Companhia Paranaense de Energia (Copel) reporting extensive power outages. By 4:30 PM, over 54,665 units across Curitiba, São José dos Pinhais, and surrounding regions were without power due to severed lines caused by high winds exceeding 70 km/h and fallen trees.
By 7 PM, the number of affected units reduced to approximately 32,309, with the majority being residential homes located within the capital. Copel stated, "179 teams from Copel are on the ground working... until every customer is restored," highlighting their commitment to rapidly restoring electricity.
The storm prompted reports of trees falling across 20 neighborhoods, with the city's emergency service receiving over 55 requests for assistance related to tree falls. The Defense Civil provided various emergency contact numbers, urging residents to report issues and seek help where necessary.
Local authorities are focusing on cleanup efforts, with maintenance teams already working at the Boqueirão terminal to manage the aftermath. It has been ensured by the municipality's Urbanization of Curitiba (Urbs) teams, who plan to remain on-site to manage clean-up and restoration tasks throughout the night.
Additional measures are on the table to address flooding, including sediment removal and potential macro-drainage projects to help manage stormwater more effectively. City officials acknowledged the current infrastructure's struggle to handle such extreme weather conditions and are engaging experts and engineers to design future improvements.
Overall, the impact of Thursday’s storms has reinforced the need for enhanced infrastructure capable of withstanding similar future weather events. While power has started to be restored and the bus services are resuming normal operations, the recovery process will be closely monitored to prevent more vulnerabilities from being exposed.
The rapid response of emergency services and utility crews serves as reassurance to residents, but the city is aware of the long-term challenges posed by severe weather and is actively working to develop strategies to mitigate these risks.