World
Dozens dead as record breaking heatwave grips Canada, US
At least 134 people have died suddenly since Friday in Canada’s Vancouver with authorities linking the deaths to a grueling heat wave.
The country recorded its highest ever temperature amid scorching conditions that extended to the United States (US) Pacific Northwest.
According to figures released by the city police department and the Royal Canadian Mounted police, at least 134 people have died suddenly amid intense heatwave.
The intense heatwave that settled over western Canada for several days has been blamed for the deaths of people in the area.
Reportedly, the deaths came as Canada set a new all-time high temperature record for a fourth day in a row on Wednesday, reaching 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius) in Lytton.
With a new record temperature for Canada of 47.9C that was set on Monday, police officials in the Burnaby area of Vancouver stated that they responded to 25 sudden-death calls in a 24-hour period starting on Monday.
The extreme heat, combined with intense drought, also created the perfect conditions for several fires to break out over the weekend, and one blaze on the California-Oregon border had already burned some 1,500 acres by Monday morning.
Following the hectic situation, cities across the western US and Canada opened emergency cooling centers and outreach workers handed out bottles of water and hats.
Meanwhile, the heat wave has forced schools and COVID-19 vaccination centers to close in the Vancouver area.
As per officials, climate change is causing record-setting temperatures to become more frequent.
Globally, the decade to 2019 was the hottest recorded, and the five hottest years have all occurred within the last five years.