Scientists say that recurring heat waves are a clear marker of global warming and that these heat waves are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.

A report presented by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in the Brazilian capital noted torrential rains, flooding and landslides in several countries, including Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela in 2025.

October's Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica and incurred losses of more than 40 percent of the Caribbean island's GDP, according to the United Nations agency.

Eighty-five percent of Mexican territory was hit by drought, while Andean glaciers, which provide water to some 90 million people, melted at an accelerated rate.

The report also highlighted heat waves across the Americas, with temperatures exceeding 45C in some areas.

Such extreme heat poses "an increasing public health burden," it said.

Most countries do not systematically publish data on heat-related deaths, it added.

This data is usually inferred from analyses of excess mortality, according to the WMO.

The organization estimates around 13,000 heat-related deaths in Latin America every year, based on an average drawn from 17 countries between 2012 and 2021.

But this figure is almost certainly an underestimate, the report warned.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the report was a "call to action."

"It calls on us to strengthen observations, invest in services, close early warning gaps, and ensure that climate information reaches those who need it most," Saulo said in a statement.