SAO PAULO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed on Wednesday after a severe storm hit Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous and industrialized state, bringing wind gusts of more than 120 km per hour, according to the state Civil Defense and Fire Department.

The state Civil Defense issued a severe weather alert as powerful winds swept across several regions, advising residents to seek shelter and avoid staying near trees, utility poles and other structures that could be knocked down.

In cities along the Atlantic coast of Sao Paulo state, in southeastern Brazil, wind speeds exceeded 100 km per hour, while operations at the Port of Santos, one of Latin America's largest seaports, were suspended for two hours. The casualties included a homeless person who was struck by a tree uprooted by strong winds.

In the coastal municipality of Sao Sebastiao, a 50-year-old fisherman drowned after a fishing boat capsized during the storm. Five other people were rescued by a private boat and received treatment from emergency crews.

In the inland municipality of Cesario Lange, a 62-year-old man was crushed to death after a tree fell onto his car while he was driving home from work.

In the capital Sao Paulo, the Climate Emergency Management Center reported wind gusts of up to 70 km per hour and warned that extreme weather conditions would persist for several hours, accompanied by scattered showers. More than 50 trees, traffic signs and billboards were knocked down along the city's main avenues, local media reported. ■