BRAZIL: Strong waves pound Rio de Janeiro’s shore

Record ID: 333184

  • Title: BRAZIL: Strong waves pound Rio de Janeiro’s shore
  • Date: 17th March 2011
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 16, 2011) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN GENERAL VIEW OF DEVIL'S BEACH GENERAL VIEW OF SIGN READING: "DANGER, STRONG CURRENTS" BODYBOARDER RIDING WAVE CLOSE OF WATER SPLASH VARIOUS OF GENERAL VIEWS OF WAVES HITTING IPANEMA BEACH SIDEWALK MAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH AS WAVE BREAK ON SIDEWALK GENERAL VIEW OF WAVES HITTING IPANEMA BEACH SIDEWALK GENERAL VIEW OF TOURISTS POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AS WAVES BREAK ON SIDEWALK (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TOURIST MARCOS MARTINS, SAYING: "As long as the nature doesn't turn against men everything is beautiful, so we must contemplate. In the moment that nature rebels against us, we must be careful." (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TOURIST ONDINA BASTOS, SAYING: "The sun, the beach... We can go to the beach in other places. Here we can see this beauty -- it is beautiful to watch." GENERAL VIEW OF WAVES HITTING IPANEMA BEACH SIDEWALK MAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH AS WAVE BREAK ON SIDEWALK VARIOUS OF GENERAL VIEWS OF PEOPLE OBSERVING WAVES FROM ROCKS MAN BEING KNOCKED DOWN BY WAVE LIFEGUARDS RUNNING TO RESCUE MAN THAT WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY STRONG WAVES LIFEGUARDS RESCUING MAN THAT WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY STRONG WAVES (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FIREMAN CAVALCANTE, SAYING: "He is schizophrenic; he wanted to kill himself there." LIFEGUARDS RESCUING MAN THAT WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY STRONG WAVES
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil, Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVA9N3BLQK8QVYY2F7CFTU0MHYTF
  • Story Text: Large waves, some as high as 9.5 feet (2.9 meters), surprised Rio de Janeiro residents on Wednesday (March 16) after a night of strong winds and heavy rains in the beachside city.
    The storm surge was prompted by an extratropical cyclone that neared Rio's coast on Tuesday (March 15), causing torrential showers that cut power in some neighborhoods and flooded streets.
    Winds were gusting at up to 74mph while the cyclone named Arani -- an indigenous expression for furious weather -- approached Rio's shore during the night.
    After the storm, the sun came out on Wednesday and surfers took advantage of the sea conditions.
    Tourists and local residents also got wet as they walked by Ipanema beach's sidewalk, where waves were crashing on and splashing all over.
    Tourist Marcos Martins took pictures with his friends and said he was admiring the surge.
    "As long as the nature doesn't turn against men everything is beautiful, so we must contemplate. In the moment that nature rebels against us, we must be careful," he said.
    Tourist Ondina Santos was also dazzled by the powerful waves that swallowed most of Ipanema's sands.
    "The sun, the beach... We can go to the beach in other places. Here we can see this beauty -- it is beautiful to watch," she said.
    Lifeguards watched carefully over surfers and tourists who got too close to the dangerous currents.
    One man was knocked down and dragged by the waves as he stood on rocks at Ipanema beach.
    Firemen ran to rescue him and managed to pull the man out of the water.
    "He is schizophrenic; he wanted to kill himself there," said Fireman Cavalcante who took part on the rescue.
    Brazil's national weather service Inmet said the surge is expected to last for another day and more rain is forecast for Wednesday. It also said the cyclone was heading to the Atlantic Ocean and would not pose any danger to Rio's population.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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