49.5 ° C in western Canada, where the “heat dome” killed at least 134 people

The “heat dome” continues to befall Canada. And as a direct result of the heat, dozens of people have died suddenly in recent days in the Vancouver area, in the west of the country. An excess mortality directly attributed by the authorities to the scorching temperatures which reached 49.5 ° C on Tuesday, June 29, an absolute record for the country.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP, Federal Police) and City of Vancouver Police have separately announced that at least 134 people have died suddenly since Friday in the Canadian metropolitan area of ​​the Pacific Coast, struggling with a historic heatwave, like the western United States.

“Vancouver has never known such heat and, unfortunately, dozens of people have died”Vancouver Police spokesperson Steve Addison said in a statement.

Risks for vulnerable people

For their part, the services of the forensic pathologist of the province indicated to have “Recorded a significant increase in the number of reported deaths” since the end of last week “Where extreme heat played a role”.

These services received 233 reports of deaths in the province between Friday and Monday, compared to about 130 on average for the same period under normal circumstances, they said in a statement. “We believe that the heat contributed to the majority of the deaths”, also specified the federal police, adding that the major part of the victims are old people.

“This time can be fatal for vulnerable members of our community, especially the elderly and those with underlying health issues.”RCMP spokesman Mike Kalanj said urging residents to “Check if their relatives and neighbors are okay”.

The hottest week ever

A message immediately echoed by the Premier of British Columbia, John Horgan: “This is the hottest week British Columbians have ever known”, he said at a press conference.

“And there are consequences to that, dire consequences for families and communities, but, again, the way to get through this extraordinary time is to stick together, to check [l’état de santé] people we know at risk ”, added John Horgan.

Mercury again easily crossed the 30 ° C mark on Tuesday in Vancouver, well above the normal of 21 ° C this season, while inland the temperature was unbearable.

For a third day in a row, the village of Lytton, some 260 kilometers northeast of Vancouver, set a new all-time record for Canadian heat, with 49.5 ° C, according to the Canadian Weather Service. The mercury also reached 42 ° C in the ski resort of Whistler, north of Vancouver, according to this service.

“The duration of this heat wave is worrying”

“It’s hotter than the highest values ​​ever seen in Europe or South America, and less than 5 ° C of the reliable world record”, observes Gaétan Heymes, of Météo France, on Twitter.

“The duration of this heat wave is worrying because there is little respite at night […]. This record heat wave will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses ”, warned the Canadian Ministry of the Environment on its weather site.

The heatwave also hit American cities south of Vancouver, such as Portland (Oregon) and Seattle (Washington State), also known for their temperate and humid climate, and where the temperature has reached record highs since the beginning of the archives, in 1940. It was 46.1 ° C at the Portland airport on Monday afternoon and 41.6 ° C at the Seattle airport, according to readings by the US Meteorological Service (NWS).

This heat wave, which has caused several forest fires on both sides of the Canada-US border, can be explained by a phenomenon called a “heat dome”: high pressures trap hot air in the air. region.

“Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense as concentrations of greenhouse gases cause global temperatures to rise. They start earlier and end later and take a growing toll on human health and health systems ”, warned on Tuesday the World Meteorological Organization, a UN agency based in Geneva.