CANADA: An unprecedented heatwave left dozens of people dead in Canada. As the weather continues to worsen in Canada, the northwestern coast of the United States has also recorded high temperatures. According to the reports, Vancouver, Canada has reported more than 130 deaths since Friday. Mostly elderly people and individuals with severe health issues succumbed to the heat.
This summer, Canada broke its summer temperature record at 49.6 °C in Lytton, British Columbia.
Local police officers have been deployed in the heatwave-stricken areas. This step has been taken due to the increased volume of emergency calls that are making it difficult for state services to respond.
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Temperatures hit 46.1 °C in Portland, Oregon, and 42.2 °C in Seattle, Washington, which are the highest temperatures recorded since the 1940s. The heatwave is reportedly intense enough to melt power cables. To make it worse, over a dozen deaths reported in these areas are linked to the heatwave.
The scorching heat stretching from the US state of Oregon to Canada’s Arctic territories has been blamed on a high-pressure ridge trapping warm air in the region.
Vancouver on the Pacific coast has for several days recorded temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit (or almost 20 degrees above seasonal norms).
The chief coroner for the province of British Columbia, which includes Vancouver, said that it had “experienced a significant increase in deaths reported where it is suspected that extreme heatwave has been contributory.”
Environment Canada has issued alerts for British Columbia, Alberta, and parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, saying the “prolonged, dangerous and historic heatwave will persist through this week.”
Meanwhile, concerned authorities in North America have advised the public to be wary of the symptoms of heatwave related illnesses such as dizziness, fainting, nausea, and decreased urination.
