-
Heat wave in Canada causes sudden death to dozens of people

BBC reported that dozens of people have died in Canada amid an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed temperature records. Heat wave
Police in the Vancouver area have responded to more than 130 sudden deaths since Friday. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions.
They said the heat was a contributing factor in many cases.
On Tuesday, Canada recorded its highest ever temperature for a third straight day - 49.5C (121F) in Lytton, British Columbia.
Before this week, temperatures in the country had never passed 45C. The heatwave is due to a dome of high pressure hovering over the north-western US and Canada. Heat wave
Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated.
BBC reported police as saying that the heat is believed to have been a contributing factor in the deaths of 65 people in the city of Vancouver.
The suburb of Burnaby, meanwhile, reported at least 34 sudden deaths and the Surrey area recorded 38.
According to police sergeant Steve Addison, "Vancouver has never experienced heat like this, and sadly dozens of people are dying because of it."
"Our officers are stretched thin, but we're still doing everything we can to keep people safe," he said, before adding that daily sudden death calls in the city had more than trebled.
In the tiny village of Lytton, about 155 miles (250 km) east of Vancouver, resident Meghan Fandrich said it had been "almost impossible" to go outside.
"It's been intolerable," she told the Globe & Mail newspaper. "We're trying to stay indoors as much as possible. We're used to the heat, and it's a dry heat, but 30
Many homes in British Columbia do not have air conditioning as temperatures are usually far milder during the summer months. Temporary water fountains and cooling centres have been set up in the Vancouver area.
Dozens of officers have been redeployed in the city, while the increased volume of 911 calls has created a backlog and depleted police resources.
The country's weather service, Environment Canada, has issued heat warnings for the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, along with areas of Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba.
"We're the second coldest country in the world and the snowiest," said David Phillips, a senior climatologist for Environment Canada.
"We often see cold snaps and blizzards but not often do we talk about hot weather like this... Dubai would be cooler than what we're seeing now."
In the US Pacific Northwest on Monday, temperatures hit 46.1C in Portland, Oregon, and 42.2C in Seattle, Washington, the highest levels since record-keeping began in the 1940s, the National Weather Service said.
A dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon may be linked to the heatwave.
The heat is intense enough to melt cables, shutting down the Portland Streetcar Service on Sunday.
An electrical utility in Spokane, Washington, has also introduced rolling blackouts to cope with huge power demand as residents run air conditioners.
One Seattle resident told the AFP news agency that the city felt like a desert: "Normally... 60, 70 degrees is a great day - everybody is outside in shorts and T-shirts - but this is... ridiculous"
Amazon allowed members of the public into areas of its Seattle headquarters as a cooling-off location on Monday, while people in Portland also flocked to cooling centres. Heat wave
Source: BBC
Image source: Reuters-BBC
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!