Rio de Janeiro, Feb. 18, (dpa/GNA) – Authorities in Rio de Janeiro declared an alert level of four out of a maximum five on Monday as the Brazilian metropolis was suffering from a severe heatwave ahead of its world-famous Carnival.
The National Meteorological Institute (Inmet) reported a temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius in the city at 3 pm (1800 GMT). The temperature makes Monday the hottest day so far this season, the G1 website reported. It is currently mid-summer in the southern hemisphere.
The city council declared an alert level of four out of five on a new heat scale introduced following the death of a fan at a concert of pop star Taylor Swift in November 2023 amid extreme heat.
Level four is declared when temperatures between 40 degrees Celsius and 44 degrees Celsius are recorded and expected to persist or rise for at least three consecutive days.
The population is advised to adjust their routines accordingly, including by drinking more water and avoiding being in the sun at the hottest times of the day.
High temperatures were expected in the coming days.
The perceived temperature – which takes into account humidity levels and wind – is expected to rise to over 50 degrees Celsius.
On Monday, many Cariocas – as the inhabitants of Rio are known – as well as tourists, sought out the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema to cool down.
The city at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain is about to celebrate Carnival, which is expected to attract some 6 million people. The parades in the Sambodrom begin on 28 February.
The first so-called blocos – carnival groups – are already parading through the streets of the metropolis. A parade by a samba school at Copacabana planned for last Sunday was cancelled due to the extreme heat.
GNA