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A group of twenty commuters was forced to take refuge on handrails as floodwaters surged through a São Paulo metro station, creating a dramatic and terrifying scene.

Stranded passengers clung to the metal barriers in the middle of the passageway or perched precariously on the thin side rails, gripping a nearby grille to avoid being swept away.

Just a few yards away, a powerful torrent of murky brown water cascaded down a staircase from street level, drenching those caught in its path and leaving them helplessly stranded above the flooded corridor.

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The chaotic scenes unfolded at the Jardim São Paulo-Ayrton Senna metro station on the afternoon of Friday, January 24, following an intense storm that battered Brazil’s largest city.

Local reports indicate that a station entrance wall gave way under the sheer force of the flood, worsening the already dire situation.

That day, São Paulo recorded its third-heaviest rainfall in over six decades, with the National Institute of Meteorology reporting a staggering 125.4 mm (4.9 inches) of rain. Tragically, the downpour claimed the life of an elderly man and left nearly 180,000 properties across the Greater São Paulo area without electricity by evening.

The deluge was the result of a perfect storm—an unfortunate combination of sea breeze, extreme heat, and high humidity that triggered relentless downpours.

The metro system suffered significant disruption, but swift action was taken to restore operations.

More than 200 workers were deployed to drain floodwaters, clean up debris, and repair damage.

After a 55-hour shutdown, Jardim São Paulo and two other submerged stations were finally reopened at 11:05 p.m. on Sunday, January 26.

In response to the dramatic flooding, São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes acknowledged the challenges posed by the intense storm but defended the city’s infrastructure investments.

“On Friday, we experienced half a month’s worth of rainfall in a single day,” he said.

“Despite the challenges, the city demonstrated resilience, bouncing back quickly thanks to our ongoing efforts in drainage improvements, stream channelization, and slope stabilization.”

Authorities have since pledged to reinforce the collapsed metro station wall to prevent similar incidents in the future.

While São Paulo is no stranger to heavy rains, the sight of commuters clinging to handrails to escape a raging underground flood serves as a stark reminder of the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.

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SOURCE: Tube users perch on station handrails as murky floodwater thunders past them