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In Pictures: Rio Carnival 2010

Things are heating up in Brazil

Wednesday, 17 February 2010

Members of Mangueira samba school performs during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Members of Mangueira samba school performs during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010

It's not just the scantily-clad dancing beauties that are raising temperatures at this year's Rio Carnival. The hottest weather in fifty years is melting revelry after five days of dancing, drinking and smooching.

>Click More Pictures above for gallery

"I never thought I would say this, but it is too hot to party," said 20-year-old Thiago Cerveny, standing on a corner with his girlfriend in Ipanema and debating whether to hit a big street party on the last full day of festivities.

It was 106 F (41 C) Tuesday.

Rio's summer has seen record highs of up to 110 F (44 C). Couple that with the seaside city's suffocating humidity and the chances that partiers will fall ill increases.

Dr. Luis Fernando Correa took to the Globo television network to warn those still partying to "drink a lot — but nothing alcoholic."

Taking the booze out of what Brazilians call the world's biggest bash is certainly a challenge. Health officials say more than 1,400 revelers have been treated since Saturday, the majority for heat-related illness.

"During Carnival people go out in the street, they party, they forget to hydrate and even take medications they may need," Correa said. "People, drink water!"

The withering temperatures punished participants in Rio's Carnival parades Monday night, many wearing heavy, elaborate costumes.

Geisy Arruda, a 20-year-old student who gained fame when she was expelled in October from her school for wearing a miniskirt, succumbed to the heat toward the end of her 80-minute appearance on a parade float.

She was seen tugging at her Carnival dress — a flashy version of the garment that got her thrown out of school — and had to lie down on a and ask for water. She rested and recovered.

Other Carnival queens, some with massive headdresses and elaborate wings of feathers harnessed to their backs, slumped down atop massive floats and asked people 30 feet (9 meters) below to throw them bottles of water.

But the heat didn't stop the majority of the exceptionally trained samba dancers, whose moves and athleticism rival this nation's famed football stars.

Funk dancer and Playboy model Valeska Santos wore a pedometer, and according to the O Globo newspaper she walked 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) during her 80 minutes in the parade early early Tuesday — all the while doing a frenetic samba and wearing a massive feather costume.

Though she had been in the hospital with pneumonia for 15 days just before Carnival, Santos wasn't done though: She also danced atop another group's samba float a few hours later.

This year's Carnival was the first since Rio was awarded the 2016 Olympics. Security was good for the most part, but police say about 50 tourists were robbed.

Grant, coz she does,,,,,,

Posted by Des | 04.04.10, 21:03 GMT

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I see this is still the most viewed article on the BT website. I wonder why?...

Posted by John | 24.03.10, 09:02 GMT

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Angie, why are you telling us you love English people?

Posted by Grant | 11.03.10, 11:10 GMT

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my son works in brazil and saw several festivals/carnivals, all very colourful, musical and energetic, a great spectacle for the public and tourists to join in and enjoy - we could learn a lot from brazil!

Posted by mccullagh morris | 05.03.10, 19:44 GMT

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Thanks, I'm a brazilian and love English people!

Posted by Angie | 24.02.10, 20:18 GMT

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If the N. Ireland had the same degree of heat, you may be doing the same but with a lot of sun block on.

Posted by phl | 20.02.10, 15:51 GMT

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Heavens they are two hot women.

London Lad- you should be a politician....

Posted by Wow | 19.02.10, 11:00 GMT

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Can we get some of these Carnival Queens and their attendants to march with the Orangemen. It'll brighten up the day and, perhaps make it more acceptable to those who oppose them!

Posted by Nesbitt | 19.02.10, 09:49 GMT

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agreed london lad, would solve all the bother!

Posted by neill | 18.02.10, 15:24 GMT

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London Lad: I think you may have just solved the Troubles!

Posted by R A Clements | 18.02.10, 12:58 GMT

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Take note orange order, get a few of these lasses up the front of any of yer marches and you'll have no objections from the Catholic part of the population about parading into their areas.

Of course, getting them back out again might be the tricky part!

Posted by London Lad | 17.02.10, 17:20 GMT

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Best women, best footballers, good drinks and music, great weather and people who know how to party... I think I'll move too Delboy!

Posted by Rodders | 17.02.10, 16:29 GMT

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I love looking at Brazilians!!! ;-)

Posted by Liam | 17.02.10, 16:07 GMT

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Moving to Brazil anyone else?

Posted by delboy | 17.02.10, 11:54 GMT

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