RIO DE JANEIRO, November 15: Brazilians endure extreme heatwave with temperatures reaching 39°C, and in Rio, it feels like 58.5°C, causing discomfort akin to living in an oven.
To avoid the scorching heat, outdoor workers like Dora, a 60-year-old street vendor, begin their day early, allowing them to finish work sooner.
“It’s unbearable for people who work on the street in this heat. I try to arrive in the morning, to leave around 2.00 pm,” she said.
Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) issued a heat alert for fifteen states, including the capital Brasilia, due to unseasonably high temperatures, exceeding the seasonal norm by around 5°C.
The extreme heat, expected to persist until Friday, has led to a surge in power consumption, reaching record levels, as reported by the National Electric System Operator.
Brazil has experienced various extreme weather events, including a historic drought in the Amazon and intense rains with cyclones in the southern region.
Exceptional drought has intensified open fires in Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, causing significant damage to the Encontro Das Águas State Park.
Approximately 32% of the park’s area has already been lost to flames, according to Institut Centre de Vie (ICV).
Bologist from the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) SOS Pantanal, Gustavo Figueiroa said that the fires, primarily due to human actions, are now out of control.
“Fire that’s been consuming the Encontro das Aguas state park for over a month now. And it has already taken on proportions in the Southern Pantanal and is completely out of control.
“An even larger fire coming from the National Park region in the direction of the Transpantaneira. These two fires are likely to meet soon,” he added.
Despite continuous efforts by firefighters to extinguish the flames day and night, the persistently high temperatures remains in Brazil’s jaguar sanctuary. – TVS
