Heatwaves are sweeping across the Northern Hemisphere with record-breaking temperatures and causing heat-related illnesses and even deaths.

China: Over 20 provinces embrace enduring heat

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said on Friday that at least three heatwaves are expected to affect over 20 provinces in ten days, especially in northern China, where temperatures are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius again. In a post on social media platform Weibo, CMA warned with a touch of humor that some people might be "hot to tears." In the southern regions, the high temperature coincides with high humidity, creating a harsh experience. China's official Xinhua News Agency described the situation as "grilled north and saunaed south."

Northern China was scorched just days ago by a heatwave, prompting heat alerts and schools in the capital City of Beijing to stop large-scale outdoor activities.

Across the world

In the United States, heatwaves engulfed the South and Midwest, killing 14 people on Thursday, and were expected to be centered over the mid-South by the weekend. Heat index levels of up to 44 Celsius degrees were forecast in parts of Florida over the next few days.

Eleven of the heat-related deaths in Texas occurred in Webb County. The dead ranged in age from 60 to 80 years old, and many had other health conditions, according to the county medical examiner.

In Mexico, health authorities say there have been at least 112 heat-related deaths so far this year, acknowledging the severity of a recent heatwave that the president previously said was being overblown by alarmist journalists, according to the Associated Press.

The report, released late Wednesday, also shows a significant spike in heat-related fatalities in the last two weeks. So far this year, the overall heat-related deaths are almost triple the figures in 2022.

In Europe, areas of southern Spain registered scorching temperatures of up to 44 degrees Celsius on Monday as the first heatwave of the summer hit the Iberian country, sending people to seek shade from the blistering sun.

Some analysts have attributed the recent uptick in European natural gas prices at least partly to the high temperatures, which have boosted demand for natural gas used to power air conditioning.

'Heat is the silent killer'

Extreme heat is already the deadliest of all weather events in the United States, including hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and flooding.

Heat kills more Americans than any other weather event, even though most heat-related deaths are preventable through outreach and intervention, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In 2022, when heatwaves hit western Europe, more than 20,000 people died in temperatures that would have been virtually impossible without climate breakdown, according to the Guardian.

"Heat is the silent killer. No one thinks about it," said Ben Zaitchik, a professor and climate scientist at Johns Hopkins University whose research includes heatwaves. "It's getting hotter just about everywhere. That means even without a particular weather phenomenon, like what we’re seeing in Texas right now, we’re seeing temperatures we aren't used to, and that in its own right is a risk."

The body normally cools itself by sweating, but extreme heat can interrupt your ability to do that, potentially leading to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, organ failure, or death.

Older adults, young children and people with chronic illnesses like diabetes are most at risk. But that doesn't mean healthy people are immune, said Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability.

Countermeasures

Scientists and medical experts predict the deaths caused by extreme heat will increase as the frequency of heatwaves also rises without more actions to combat climate change, making people especially vulnerable in areas unaccustomed to warm weather.

In China, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions issued a notice urging all employers across the country to grant heat subsidies to employees. Kaifeng City in Henan Province has opened sheltering stations, offering water and heat medicines to the city's street janitors.

In the U.S., Phoenix has opened summertime shelters for homeless people, operates cooling centers in libraries and other community spaces to help people get out of the sun and distributes bottled water, hats and sunscreen. The city also has a "Cool Callers" program with volunteers dialing vulnerable residents who ask to be checked on during hot periods.

The German government said Monday it is launching a campaign against deaths from heatwaves that are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said that aside from launching a dedicated website for towns and local authorities to determine the measures they can take, authorities are also examining how best to issue warnings about impending heatwaves.

Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said global warming is causing new health risks in Europe that can be addressed, including by providing more shade and cool places in cities during heatwaves.

(Cover images via VCG, with input from AP)

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