Dozens dead in heat wave lasting several weeks in Mexico

The extreme heat that has affected large parts of Mexico has claimed the lives of dozens of people in several states in recent weeks, the country’s health ministry said in a report published on Thursday. Even higher temperatures are forecast for the coming days.

Mexico is suffering from a high-pressure weather phenomenon, a so-called “heat dome”, which traps hot air over large parts of the country, leading to record temperatures that in some places exceed 45 degrees Celsius.

Between May 12 and 21, 22 people died due to heat-related causes, according to preliminary figures from the Mexican Ministry of Health.

The 10-day period coincided with the second and third heatwaves of five that the country’s leading weather services had predicted for the March-July period. The third heatwave is still ongoing.

The new deaths bring to 48 the number of people killed by extreme temperatures since the heat season began on March 17. Most of these were due to heat stroke, some to dehydration. At the same point in Mexico’s 2022 and 2023 heat seasons, the Ministry of Health had reported only two and three heat-related deaths, respectively.

Health Ministry data also shows that hundreds more people have survived heat stroke, sunburn, dehydration and other heat-related ailments.

The sweltering heat has exacerbated the nationwide drought and overloaded Mexico’s power grid; several monkeys fell dead from trees, probably due to dehydration.

According to researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, there is no immediate relief in sight.

Read more on FRANCE 24 English

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