Record of 56.7 Degrees in 1913 Registered in Guinness Book
Tourists Follow One After Another... "Heatwave Must Be Taken Seriously"
A tourist suffered third-degree burns while walking barefoot on sand dunes at Death Valley National Park in California, USA, known as one of the hottest places on Earth.
On the 26th (local time), the U.S. National Park Service announced that on the 20th, they rescued a 42-year-old Belgian man who had burns on both feet at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park.
Park rangers were unable to communicate effectively with the man due to language barriers and could not determine the exact cause, but it is presumed that he lost his slippers while walking on the sand. The park stated that the air temperature at the time was 123 degrees Fahrenheit (50.6 degrees Celsius), and the ground surface was likely much hotter.
Judging the burns to be severe, the man was airlifted by helicopter and diagnosed with third-degree burns, the most serious grade of burns that can damage the subcutaneous fat layer, muscles, or even bones.
Death Valley recorded 56.7 degrees Celsius (134 degrees Fahrenheit) in 1913, earning a place in the Guinness World Records as the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth. Until last year, the average temperature in July at Death Valley was around 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2 degrees Celsius). In July of last year, unofficial temperatures reached as high as 56 degrees Celsius.
On the 6th of this month, a motorcyclist died of heatstroke in Death Valley. The highest temperature that day was 128 degrees Fahrenheit (53.3 degrees Celsius). In July last year, a man in his 60s was found dead from the heat of 52 degrees Celsius while driving a car with a broken air conditioner in the area.
Despite the frequent occurrence of such accidents, tourists continue to flock to Death Valley every year. A park official warned, “Some people deliberately come when there are predictions that Death Valley’s heat might break records. They seem unaware of how extreme heat affects the human body, but they need to take it seriously.”
The park advises visitors to Death Valley to “expect temperatures between 43 and 54 degrees Celsius,” to “minimize time spent outdoors,” and to “avoid hiking after 10 a.m.” They also added, “Cell phones do not work in most areas of the park, so prepare thoroughly and travel with survival in mind.”
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