Porto Alegre, January 30, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - On this summer's hottest day, with temperatures reaching 39 degrees (C) in Campo Bom, in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, and 38 degrees (C) in Porto Alegre, a heavy storm wracked various Rio Grande do Sul municipalities yesterday (29) afternoon, knocking down trees and posts and causing damage to power lines. In Novo Hamburgo, José Moacir dos Santos, 22 years old, was electrocuted when a high tension line fell. In Campos Bom the storm caused a house to collapse.

In the Vale dos Sinos (Valley of the Bells), the zones of Novo Hamburgo, São Sebastião do Caí, Campo Bom, and São Leopoldo were left in the dark after 15 feeders went off line. In Porto Alegre four posts fell, and two feeders were damaged, too, leaving part of the northern zone without electricity. (DAS)