TL/DR –
Global warming’s latest mess? 50 million Americans are under heat warnings with a side order of mass Midwest flood evacuations. Heat-related stress is the new summer trend, and climate change is the stylist—increasing the frequency of these extreme weather catwalks. Meanwhile, South Dakota and Iowa are starring in their own disaster movie, with cities losing power, water, and over 1,000 people to shelters.
US Heatwaves and Floods Create Havoc
Over 50 million US residents are sweltering under heat warnings while hundreds escape flooding in the Midwest.
Searing temperatures have issued extreme heat advisories for over 50 million people in the US, paired with flooding triggering rescue operations and evacuations in the Midwest.
According to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System on Monday, around 57.4 million people nationwide were under active extreme heat advisories, watches, and warnings, a decrease from 123.8 million on Sunday.
The National Weather Service stressed the intensified early summer heat results in escalated heat-related stress, particularly for those outdoors and without reliable AC.
The intense heat and deadly flooding highlight the risks of extreme weather exacerbated by climate change, which ups the frequency and intensity of such events.
In South Dakota, one person lost their life in the flooding. Neighboring Iowa saw over 1,000 displaced people sheltering overnight, as reported by Governor Kim Reynolds. “Businesses shuttered. Main streets impacted. Hospitals, nursing homes, and care facilities evacuated. Cities without power, some lack drinkable water,” stated Reynolds.
Over the weekend, officials in cities like Philadelphia warned that heat indexes might top 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 Celsius), posing a risk of heat-related illness.
Bruce Thoren, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oklahoma, emphasized hydration for those outside. Thoren cautioned, “Heat, humidity, and low winds, even if you’re fit and not acclimated to it, could be a danger. It happens quickly.”
Studies indicate that heat waves will be among the most perilous effects of climate change in the following decades. Recent weeks have seen hundreds of deaths from extreme heat across Asia and Europe.
Original Story at www.aljazeera.com
