At Least 69 People Dead
[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The temperature in the Lytton area of British Columbia, western Canada, soared to 49.5 degrees Celsius on the afternoon of the 29th (local time), setting an all-time high.
According to major foreign media, Canada's Environment and Climate Change Department announced that "at 4:20 PM, the temperature at the Lytton observation station reached 49.5 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the record for the third consecutive day."
The Lytton area, about 250 km east of Vancouver, has been breaking records for three consecutive days. It recorded 46.6 degrees on the 26th and 47.9 degrees the previous day.
Amid early summer heatwaves centered in the western United States, unprecedented heatwaves have recently struck the northwestern Pacific coastal regions such as Washington and Oregon, and even further north into Canadian areas.
At least 69 people have died so far in western Canada due to this heatwave.
The unusual heatwave appearing even in northern regions where the average temperature at this time of year was around the mid-20s Celsius is attributed to hot air stagnating due to high pressure.
Foreign media reported, "Record-breaking heat is occurring more frequently due to climate change," adding, "The past five years have been the hottest in history."
Canada has issued warnings stating that "a long and dangerous heatwave is expected to continue throughout this week" in parts of the northwest provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) also issued warnings, urging people to "stay indoors with air conditioning on and drink plenty of water."
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