Drought-stricken São Paulo hit by floods, but little help for water reservoirs
By Everton Fox
26 February 2015 (Al Jazeera) – Downpours have wreaked havoc across São Paulo, causing widespread flooding. Almost 100mm of rain fell in little over an hour on Wednesday, turning streets and avenues into rivers. São Paulo’s Emergency Management Centre recorded 96mm of rain in just 60 minutes. Dozens of cars were submerged, trapping their occupants as the water rose quickly around them. The city saw some of its worst traffic disruption on record, as evening commuters tried to make their way home, following the storm. Some cars were even swept away in the appalling conditions, and a state of alert was declared in the worst hit parts of the city. […] The severe floods have arrived during what has become the worst drought to hit São Paulo in more than 80 years. Ironically, it is still not enough to replenish the city’s reservoirs to any great extent. Unfortunately, the main reservoir is located 60km to the north and did not see anywhere near enough useful rainfall during the storm. [more]
Wow. Talk about "insult to injury". Desperately needed rain falling, FINALLY, but no where near any storage reservoirs!