brazil, Saou Paulo, traffic jam

Melbourne, May 24 (ANI): Brazil's largest city Sao Paulo was hit by a 250km traffic jam on Wednesday.

A train strike in Sao Paulo forced 20 million commuters to take cars, which created a traffic jam that authorities estimate covered 250km of roads and highways at its peak.

According to reports this serpentine jam smashed the previous morning rush hour record of 190km but could not break the all-time record of 295km during an evening peak in June 2009.

Angry drivers promised revenge, the tyres on the stranded buses were punctured and protesters were sprayed with tear gas to disperse as Brazil's biggest city entangled itself.

Police motorcycles had to clear way for ambulances through the disorder.

The incident has renewed concerns over Brazil's ability to host the soccer World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016.

"Whoever says Brazil is a great (economic) power should come and see this," Wilson Pereira, a dishwasher said.

Brazil's traffic jam may be bad, but it's not the worst in the world. In August 2010 a massive traffic jam lasted nine days in China. (ANI)