Under a torrid 40 degrees Celsius, the
Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro woke up on December 25 under a white
blanket. Only it was not snow - it was a mysterious white soot-like dust
which entered people's apartments and caused allergies. The authorities
still do not know what caused it... could there be a serious health
risk?
The official data available can be
summarized by a white soot-like dust which descended on several areas of
the city of Rio de Janeiro early on the morning of Christmas Day. Eye
witnesses described the phenomenon as being like snowflakes falling. The
dust settled mainly in the southern areas of the city such as Lagoa,
Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo, Laranjeiras, Largo do Machado and Glória,
in the Centre, Tijuca (North) and Recreio (West).