**Power Outage Leaves 1.4 Million Households in Sao Paulo without Electricity Following Violent Storm**

SAO PAULO (AP) - Nearly 1.4 million homes in Sao Paulo, Brazil, found themselves powerless on Saturday, lingering almost a full day after a fierce, brief storm hit South America's largest city. The calamity resulted in at least seven fatalities and significant infrastructure damage.

Authorities in Sao Paulo state reported that wind gusts reaching up to 67 mph (108 kph) on Friday night felled transmission lines and uprooted trees, severely impacting the region. The storm also caused the shutdown of several airports and disrupted water services in various areas, adding to the turmoil.

Tragically, one individual lost their life when a tree collapsed onto an outdoor stall, with six more fatalities reported in the surrounding regions of Sao Paulo state.

While officials initially anticipated restoring power within a few hours, numerous neighborhoods remained without electricity on Saturday. Residents were advised to restrict their water usage amid ongoing service interruptions.

Enel-Sao Paulo, a utility company largely affected by the storm, serves most of the disrupted areas. The company, partially owned by AES Corporation, had announced in May its intention to sell its 47% stake in the Brazil unit for $640 million.

Regulatory bodies demanded an inspection of Enel-Sao Paulo, cautioning that failing to promptly and adequately address the outages could lead to the termination of the private concession.

Enel disclosed that the storm impacted 17 high voltage transmission lines but refrained from providing a timeline for the restoration of services. The situation has left residents in the dark both literally and figuratively, as they await the return of essential utilities.