Cyclist is swept to his death by flash flood after refusing to let go of his bike

This is the horrific moment a cyclist is swept to his death in flash floods in Brazil as witnesses form a human chain in a desperate bid to save him.

Marcelo da Silva, 43, was trapped with his bike in swirling waters as a torrential downpour hit São Bernado do Campo, a suburb of São Paulo, on Friday afternoon. 

Footage shows him clinging to his bike even as horrified onlookers scream at him to let it go. 

He tries to stand but the force of the water knocks him over and drags him under before strong currents rushing down the main street pull him further away. 

Footage shows him desperately clinging to his bike in torrential rain

Marcelo da Silva, 43, was trapped with his bike in swirling waters as a torrential downpour hit São Bernado do Campo, a suburb of São Paulo, on Friday afternoon

The heavy flows sent him hurtling towards another utility pole which he desperately tries to hold on to before the force of the waters sucks him under and he disappears from view. 

A group risked their lives by forming a human chain to try to save the drowning man as he hurtled close to a wall but they could not hold him back.  

Jose Santana, a butcher, told Globo TV: ‘The cyclist could only hold onto the post for a few seconds because the current was too strong and pulled him away. 

‘We formed a human chain to try to grab hold of him. The guy at the front managed to get him for a few seconds but he couldn’t keep hold. It was dangerous for him as well because he was nearly washed away too.

‘We could just see his head bobbing in the water, going under and coming up again. Unfortunately, there was no way to get him out. Everyone cried because we couldn’t save him.’

According to witnesses the divorced father, who had a teenage daughter, fell into the water while trying to cycle through the area.

The 43-year-old, who had a teenage daughter, can be seen desperately clinging to his bike - even as onlookers tell him to let go

The man is swept away by the current during torrential rain in Brazil

The 43-year-old, who had a teenage daughter, can be seen desperately clinging to his bike – even as onlookers tell him to let go – before he is swept away by the current

Firefighters called to the scene found his body washed up later the same day.

In a separate tragedy, in the same city, a pensioner and her three year old grand daughter died after their vehicle was caught in the deluge. 

Firefighters rescued Maria Luzinete, 63, and the child from the car but both died within a matter of hours after arriving at hospital.   

According to the local authority the torrential rain was recorded as the highest levels ever to hit the city.

In a statement mayor Orlando Morando said: ‘The volume of rain was far higher than expected for the whole day, which is normally 11 millimetres of rain. 

‘The central region of the municipality registered 45 mm in just over an hour with (other areas in the city) receiving 62 millimetres in the same period.’  

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