The ongoing heatwave in the northern hemisphere is predicted to intensify this week, leading to a surge in overnight temperatures and an increased risk of heart attacks and fatalities, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The WMO has warned that the heatwave is still in its early stages and expects temperatures to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in North America, Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. The organization predicts that this heatwave will persist for several consecutive days.
In certain areas, this means that overnight temperatures will remain in the high 30s. “Repeated high nighttime temperatures pose a significant risk to human health as the body is unable to recover from prolonged heat exposure. This elevated risk is associated with an increased incidence of heart attacks and fatalities,” explained John Nairn, Senior Extreme Heat Advisor for WMO.
Panu Saaristo from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has emphasized that infants, the elderly, and individuals with chronic health conditions are particularly vulnerable to these extreme temperatures.
Experts estimate that over 60,000 Europeans lost their lives to heatwaves last year, despite the presence of advanced early warning systems. The IFRC is actively reaching out to elderly individuals in Italy, providing drinking water aid in Greece, and establishing shelters for those affected by wildfires on the Spanish island of La Palma, as highlighted by Saaristo.
The United Nations weather agency has cautioned that new temperature records could be set in the following days. The current European high is 48.8 degrees Celsius recorded in Sicily in August 2021, while the global record stands at 56.7 degrees Celsius from Death Valley, California in July 1913, according to the WMO.
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