More than 30 cities in the interior of São Paulo suspended classes on Friday (11) after the state Civil Defense issued a tornado alert. The state government recommended the suspension of classes and outdoor events in the regions of Presidente Prudente, Marília, Itapeva, Sorocaba, and Registro. In Greater São Paulo, Cotia also halted activities at municipal schools, and the Education Secretariat of São Paulo did the same at state schools, Etecs, and Fatecs in the Sorocaba metropolitan region.
The Vale do Ribeira is on red alert, with wind gusts that can range from 60 to 100 km/h. Cotia is on orange alert, with forecast of 68 millimeters of rain for this Friday. The Civil Defense reported that it will activate a crisis command center from 2 PM at the Emergency Management Center, bringing together public agencies and utility companies to monitor the situation.
Lieutenant Maxwell, from the Civil Defense, warned the population about the precautions that should be taken in light of the extreme weather conditions. The tornado alert represents a rare meteorological phenomenon for the region, and state authorities are on alert to respond to any emergencies caused by the heavy rains and winds.
