Heatwaves claim lives as global temperatures soar to new extremes
Heatwaves are becoming an increasingly significant threat to us. Record high temperatures are wreaking havoc on four continents. Deaths in Europe and Asia are now counted in the hundreds. And it's only the beginning of a summer that could surpass last year’s record.
Heatwaves are claiming lives. So far, 577 people have already died while on pilgrimage to Mecca. Reports from AFP indicate that the cause of death for most of them was temperatures exceeding 51°C.
Serbians are experiencing inferno-like heat. Meteorologists predict that the temperature will reach 40°C this week. Authorities have issued a red alert and advised residents to stay indoors.
According to Reuters, emergency services in Belgrade alone intervened 109 times overnight, with most cases involving people suffering from heart diseases and other chronic conditions. In neighbouring Montenegro, where health authorities also urged people to avoid the sun, tens of thousands of tourists sought respite on the beaches along the Adriatic coast.
On Monday, police reported that the body of a 55-year-old American was found on the Greek island of Mathraki – the third tourist to die within a week. The problematic situation is not limited to Europe.
According to the National Weather Service, over 86 million people in the northeastern and midwestern United States were under a heat dome on Thursday. In parts of Arizona, including Phoenix, the temperature could reach 45°C.
High temperatures are causing uncontrollable fires. In the state of New Mexico, two rapidly spreading fires fueled by inferno-like heat have killed two people. The fires have scorched over 9,300 hectares and destroyed 500 homes.
Temperatures are breaking records on every continent
It's also hot in Asia. On Wednesday, New Delhi recorded its warmest night in at least 55 years. The Indian Safdarjung Observatory recorded a temperature of 35°C at 1:00 AM (GMT). The local health department reported on Wednesday that from 1 March to 18 June, there were over 40,000 cases of heatstroke and at least 110 confirmed deaths.
At the same time, accurate determination of the death toll from heatwaves is challenging. Most health authorities do not attribute deaths to the heat but to illnesses exacerbated by high temperatures, such as cardiovascular issues. Therefore, authorities significantly underestimate the number of heat-related deaths. According to Reuters, this means missing thousands, if not tens of thousands of deaths.
Are we facing a record hot summer?
The World Meteorological Organization claims there is an 86% chance that within the next five years, the record set by 2023 will be broken, making it the hottest in history. Observed heat waves are becoming more frequent, intense, and longer.
According to an international team of scientists from World Weather Attribution (WWA), on average, a pre-industrial heatwave that would occur once in 10 years now occurs 2.8 times in 10 years and is 1.2°C warmer.
Scientists don't have good news for us. They emphasise that heatwaves will continue to intensify if the world continues to burn fossil fuels. According to WWA, if global warming occurs at 2°C, heat waves will occur on average 5.6 times in 10 years and will be 2.6°C hotter.
