AT LEAST five people have died and 430 injured after a tornado tore through Brazil.
Rescue teams are scouring the region for victims in what has been described as wreckage similar to a “war zone”.
Local fire chief Jonas Emmanuel Benghi Pinto said the number of victims could increase overnight as the search operation continues.
Horrifying footage shows houses in the town of near 14,000 inhabitants with their roofs blown off, electricity pylons on the ground and cars overturned.
A lorry could be seen lying on its side in one of the videos posted on social media.
Around 60,000 homes in the region have been left without power following the twister, which struck around 5.30pm local time.
Damage was also reported in the Parana state municipalities of Candoi, Larenjeiras do Sul and Guarapuava.
Locals were filmed screaming as they ran for cover at Londrina Airport in northern Parana, where wind speeds reached around 60mph.
Weather agency Metsul reported hordes of trees uprooted and cars upturned in the ravaging winds.
A supermarket is reported to have collapsed during the storm with people buried or awaiting rescue among the rubble.
The agency added: “According to preliminary information from the city hall and Civil Defense, around 60 per cent of homes and buildings in the city were damaged or completely destroyed.
“Teams from the Fire Department, Military Police, Civil Police, healthcare professionals, and dozens of volunteers have been working since the beginning of the night in the search and care for the victims.”
Rio Bonito do Iguacu’s mayor Sezar Augusto said 80 per cent of the town “was on the ground.”
He added: “It’s rained very heavily and about 80 per cent of the city is in ruins.
“The force of the storm knocked down power lines, ripped roofs off buildings, destroyed structures, and caught many people returning home.
“There are many vehicles under the rubble. There are at least three deaths, including two elderly people. There are also many injured, and the hospitals are overcrowded.”
Speaking in the aftermath of the disaster, he was quoted as saying: “There are many injured people with head wounds.
Outside the hospitals, we have at least three teams of doctors and nurses scouring the city to see if there are people trapped under the rubble.”
The tornado was initially classified as an F2 supercell tornado with winds speeds of between 113 and 157mph.
Experts said some parts of the worst-affected areas suffered gusts of above 155mph – making it one of the fiercest of tornadoes.
Meteorologist Reinaldo Kneib said: “The classification of the tornado was based on the analysis of the damage and also on the images form the Simepar meteorological radar.
“There were reports of overturned vehicles, fallen trees and even entire brickwork houses being destroyed.”
State governor Ratinho Junior said on X: “Civil Defense and our security forces are on alert, mobilized, and monitoring the towns and cities affected by the severe storms.
“Our solidarity to the entire population of the affected regions. We remain in constant vigilance.”
He is expected to visit Rio Bonito do Iguaçu later this morning.
A field hospital has been opened in the town to meet the extra demand.
