An ongoing heatwave in Latin America has brought a record temperature of 62.3 degrees in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while heavy rain threatens the south of the country.

“Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and hydrate yourself!”, the local alert system warned on March 17 on the social network.

The western part of Rio de Janeiro consists of slums in which about 40 percent of the city's population of more than six million live.

The actual maximum temperature was 42 degrees.

The symbolic beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Ipanema and Copacabana were raided from 16 to 17 March. Instead, many residents sought some respite in Tijuca Park, a green, mountainous area located in the heart of the city.

On the same day, Brazilian authorities warned that persistent heavy rains in southern Brazil could worsen, causing floods and landslides.

The state most at risk is Rio Grande do Sul. Severe flooding was reported in Uruguayana, a city with a population of about 125,000.

Experts attribute these extreme phenomena to climate change and the recurring El Niño phenomenon, which causes a severe rise in the temperature of the waters of the central, southern and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The average global temperature has risen by about 1.2 degrees compared to the pre-industrial era, causing an increase in extreme events, including heat waves, droughts, floods and fires.