Record-breaking heatwave hits Canada killing hundreds

Hundreds of sudden deaths have been recorded in Canada, many of them being related to the heatwave. Some 486 fatalities recorded over the past five years in British Columbia. It is near about a 195% increase on the usual amount over that period.

The Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has offered his condolences to the families of the victims. Many of the victims are elderly people. North America recorded an abnormal higher temperature.

The British Columbia Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said, “It is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather BC has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province.”

She said that many of those who have died in the heatwave had lived alone in such rooms which are not having proper ventilation. She added that the western province has seen only tree heatwave-related deaths over the past five years.

The town of Lytton on Wednesday evacuated due to the wildfire just a day after the record-breaking temperature in Canada. Mayor Jan Polderman said, “The whole town is on fire. It took like a whole 15 minutes from the first sign of smoke to all of a sudden there being fire everywhere.”

The heatwave over the Western parts of Canada and the US is happening due to the static high-pressure hot air? It is stretching from California to the other Arctic territories. The temperature is easing in the coastal area. However, there is not much respite for the inland regions. The weather system is now moving eastwards over the Prairie provinces.

Janice Houldsworth, a resident of British Columbia, said that she had not gone outdoors for four days. It is also something for the first time she is experiencing in 70 years. They are blacking out all the windows and having the fans running for 24x 7, and constantly spraying the mist. Also, people are taking cold footbaths, taking showers, and drinking a lot of water.

In Vancouver alone, the heat is about to be the reason for 65 deaths. Mr. Trudau has described the heat waves as a major growing problem and went on talking about climate change.

The United States also sees extreme heat. In the US Pacific Northwest, the temperature has hit 46.6C. Also, in Portland, Oregon, the temperature is 42.2C. In Seattle, Washington, the temperature was at the highest level since the record heat in 1940.

Credits: BBC