The health secretary of Mexico reports that at least 112 people have perished there as a result of “natural extreme temperatures” since March.
According to the study, Nuevo León, a state in Mexico, was the area hardest damaged, with 64 confirmed fatalities. The states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sonora, and Campeche all reported dozens of fatalities.
According to the research, at least 1,559 individuals sought medical attention for issues related to temperature within the same time frame.
Over the past ten days in particular, Mexico has seen record-breaking temperatures, with some locations seeing monthly or even all-time records: temperatures have topped 45 degrees Celsius in places (113 degrees Fahrenheit).
In Tamaulipas, local authorities announced Wednesday that dozens had died in the current heatwave, prompting governor Américo Villarreal Anaya to order the formation of a working group to develop a response plan.
Tamaulipas’s Secretary of Health tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that high temperatures will continue across the state, advising people to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and to stay in cool, well-ventilated areas.
Scorching temperatures in both Mexico and the southern US states are being brought on by a “heat dome,” which is created when a ridge of high pressure builds over an area, trapping air inside as temperatures warm – often to uncomfortable or even dangerous levels.
The heat domes that drive record-setting temperatures are expected to become more frequent – and hotter – due to the climate crisis.