By The newspaper
18 Jul 2024, 22:53 PM EDT
Phoenix authorities are investigating the cause of more than 300 deaths in Maricopa County, possibly linked to the extreme heat experienced this summer, prompting officials to call for the high temperatures to be declared a “major disaster.”
The Department of Health and Human Services said it is investigating 322 deaths linked to the high temperatures recorded this year, through the week ending July 13. Heat has been recorded as high as 118° F (47.7° C).
23 deaths confirmed due to heat
Arizona officials confirmed that 23 people have died in heat-related deaths in Maricopa County, home to the capital and the nation’s fourth-largest county with 4.4 million people, including one of the largest Hispanic populations.
Of the 23 confirmed deaths, 17 were directly responsible for heat, and six were a contributing factor. County data shows that 40 percent of the dead were homeless.
The remaining 300 deaths are still under investigation, but high temperatures are not ruled out as the main factor, and the heat will continue for several more days.
Extreme heat will continue in Phoenix
Temperatures in Phoenix are forecast to hit 116° F (46° C) on Friday, July 19, with extreme heat warnings in effect through Saturday night, but two-week forecasts also call for highs of 106° F (40° C) in the area.
The threat of sweltering heat has prompted Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes to renew her call for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recognize extreme heat as eligible for major disaster declarations.
73 confirmed deaths nationwide
The Department of Health and Human Services said that throughout 2023, there were 579 confirmed deaths from extreme summer heat, in addition to 56 that were suspected.
According to NBC News, there have been 73 heat-related deaths across the United States in 2024.
With information from EFE
Keep reading:
- Last June was the warmest on record, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information
- Fifth consecutive day of heat in Las Vegas with temperatures of 115 degrees
- How much longer will the heat wave last in the Western United States?