Prosecutors and Public Defenders Order Rio to Detail Heat Response Within 24 Hours

Overview

• Federal prosecutors and public defenders sent a formal notice late on Dec. 26 to Governor Cláudio Castro and Mayor Eduardo Paes demanding urgent, coordinated protections during the extreme heat.
• The order requires a 24-hour report specifying cooling points with addresses and hours, water and hydration distribution sites, health units acting as hydration centers, patient flow plans, and rescue operations.
• The directive prioritizes care for high‑risk groups including infants, older adults, pregnant or lactating people, those with chronic illnesses or disabilities, outdoor workers, people with limited mobility, and unhoused residents.
• Alerta Rio keeps the municipality at stage 3, after a 40.1°C monthly record on Dec. 25, with weekend highs forecast near 38–40°C as Inmet issues a red heat warning for parts of the Southeast, South and Center‑West.
• The city health department cites about 450 emergency attendances per day linked to heat and says it will follow its published protocol, while the state had not publicly detailed its response when asked.