Topic: Weather Warnings. Taylor Swift fans struggled in the brutal heat. AP: Silvia Izquierdo. Temperatures in parts of Rio de Janeiro, where Swift's Eras concert was held, soared as high as 42 degrees Celsius on Friday, according to Meteologix. But when humidity was factored in, the heat index β similar to Australia's "feels like" temperature β showed a reading of almost 60C. Taylor Swift postponed her second concert in Rio and the death of the fan left her with a broken heart.
Concert-goer Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, died amid the extreme conditions. Reports from concert organiser Time4Fun and Brazil's Ministry of Culture said she became unwell and was taken to hospital by the medical team, where she died from cardiac arrest.
Taylor Swift took to Instagram following the death of a fan, saying she was "overwhelmed by grief". Instagram: taylorswift. Photos taken outside the stadium for the second concert, which ended up being postponed, showed fans attempting to shelter from the brutal heat. Following the death of the fan, Swift released a statement on her Instagram saying she was "shattered" and "devastated".
In the lead-up to the heatwave the country's main forecasting agency, Met Sul, warned the heat would "rewrite the history" of Brazil's climate. It said "absurdly high maximum temperatures in thousands of cities" would pose a risk even for those used to intense heat. Many attendees found the heat unbearable. Reuters: Pilar Olivares. University of Sydney professor of human health Ollie Jay said humidity could make hot days so much worse because it stopped sweat from effectively cooling the body.
This is because the air contains so much water vapour that it is unable to hold any more. Thermoregulatory physiology professor Ollie Jay says humidity nullifies the effects of sweating. Dr Jay said an "enormous amount of strain" was put on an overheated body, which could lead to heat stroke or heart failure. This combined effect on the body is factored into the South American heat index and is what Australia's "apparent temperature" metric, which also factors in wind, attempts to capture.
