About 1.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity on Thursday after an extratropical cyclone swept through Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, toppling trees and power lines and disrupting flights and the water supply.

Damaging wind storms also caused vast power outages in 2023 and 2024, putting utility firm Enel (ENEI.MI) , opens new tab under intense public scrutiny.

Enel said gusts of up to 98 km/h (61 mph) battered the region during a 12-hour gale on Wednesday, with impacts lingering into Thursday across the city of 11.5 million people and the wider metro region.