At least 25 people have died across the United States after a week of intense heat, while nearly 40 million residents remain under extreme heat alerts in parts of the East Coast, Southeast and Southwest, according to U.S. authorities and media reports.
Citing state and local officials, NBC News reported that New Jersey is expected to account for the highest number of heat-related fatalities, with 22 suspected deaths. One heat-related death has been reported in Illinois, while Mississippi has recorded two fatalities.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) has also warned that parts of the East Coast could face severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, hail and flash flooding through Monday. Around 34 million people, stretching from Delaware to Connecticut, including residents of New York City, are currently under flood alerts, with forecasters warning of up to three inches (7.6 cm) of rainfall in some areas.
The severe weather has disrupted power supplies across several eastern states, leaving millions of customers without electricity and adding to the hardships caused by the extreme heat.
Meteorologists said the heat index—which combines air temperature and humidity—is expected to range between 37.7°C and 40.5°C in cities including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Jacksonville, Florida, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses.
While temperatures are forecast to ease across much of the East Coast by the middle of the week, dangerous heat is expected to persist elsewhere. In particular, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, as well as parts of California, could see daytime highs reaching 45.5°C between Tuesday and Thursday.
According to the New York City Department of Health, more than 378 people have already been treated in emergency departments across the city for heat-related illnesses during the ongoing heatwave.
Source: The Guardian, citing NBC News and U.S. weather authorities.