Strong gusts of up to 74 km/h battered western Paraná between 17 and 20 July, forcing the concessionaire of Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) to cancel at least 12 flights and operate others only during brief weather windows. The tri-border hub links Brazil to Argentina and Paraguay and is heavily used by executives commuting to binational hydro-power and agri-business sites, as well as by tour groups visiting the Iguazu Falls. According to the airport operator, two departures were called off on Friday, with ten more cancellations on Saturday. On Sunday the terminal operated intermittently; some aircraft were held on the ground until winds subsided below 50 km/h. Airlines offered free re-booking, but hotel occupancy in the city hit 92 %, prompting price spikes during the unexpected lay-overs. Local authorities reported fallen trees blocking arteries such as Avenida Juscelino Kubitschek, and the utility Copel said outages affected five western-Paraná municipalities. Ground transport to Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) and Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) remained open, but queues at border checkpoints lengthened to more than two hours as passengers sought road alternatives. With forecasts pointing to further squalls until 22 July, travel-risk consultants advise companies to keep flexible tickets for staff heading to Iguazu and to consider rerouting through Cascavel (CAC) or Curitiba, followed by ground transfer. Travellers should also check insurance policies for weather-related accommodation coverage.
Source: Brasilturis
