Brazil in midst of heatwave with more extreme temperatures expected

Multiple states across Brazil have been gripped by an intense heatwave in recent days, prompting local authorities to issue weather alerts and urging residents to take precautions, with the high temperatures forecast to continue.

Southeastern states including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais have been experiencing the most extreme heat, with temperatures climbing to a sweltering high of 40.8 degrees Celsius in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

Authorities across the country have been sending out weather warnings, with residents being advised to avoid prolonged outdoor activities and medics reminding people to take measures to ensure they stay hydrated.

"[You have to] drink plenty of water, use a fan. There is not much you can do to escape it, really. It is absurdly hot," said Ana Flavia, a local resident in Sao Paulo.

"With this change in temperature and the excessive heat, we see a lot of cases of dehydration," said Tiago Foliate Pitirilo, a doctor from the city's Hospital Sao Camilo.

The sweltering heat may be around for a while more, according to experts, who say higher water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean mean Brazil is likely to face more frequent heatwaves this year.

"The ocean forecast indicates that in the second half of the year we will have a warmer Pacific Ocean. This allows us to infer that the number of heat waves in 2026 may be higher than last year, when the Pacific Ocean was cooler," said Marecelo Seluchi, a meteorologist from Brazil's National Center for Monitoring and Alerts for Natural Disasters (CEMADEN).

Brazil in midst of heatwave with more extreme temperatures expected

Brazil in midst of heatwave with more extreme temperatures expected

Brazil in midst of heatwave with more extreme temperatures expected

With China assuming the rotating presidency on Friday, the United Nations Security Council will focus its work in May on revitalizing the authority of the UN Charter and the role of the United Nations, while advancing the political settlement of the Middle East issue, and promoting the stability and development of African countries.

Briefing reporters on the Security Council's priorities for May, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations and president of the Security Council for May, made the statement on Friday.

In recent years, the world has been witnessing growing turbulence in the international landscape, with conflicts increasing, divisions widening, and the multilateral system, along with international law, under considerable strain, he said, urging the international community to take urgent actions to uphold the authority of the UN Charter and strengthen the role of the United Nations to prevent the world from "relapsing into the jungle" and "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war".

In this context, Fu said, the Security Council will convene a high-level open debate in May under the theme of upholding the purposes and the principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Security Council to focus on UN's role, Middle East, Africa in May: Chinese envoy