US heat wave kills dozens during 250th anniversary weekend

A severe heat wave across the United States has killed more than two dozen people, with New Jersey reporting 29 deaths. Record-breaking temperatures disrupted Independence Day events, overwhelmed emergency services and prompted health warnings as extreme heat affected over 20 states

New York: The heat wave that gripped much of the United States over the weekend of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations killed more than two dozen people across the East Coast, Southeast and Southwest.

In New Jersey, at least 29 people are estimated to have died as a result of the heat wave, according to the state’s Department of Health. The deaths were reported across 10 counties, and officials say most of the victims were found in homes without air conditioning, Xinhua news agency reported.

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New Jersey Health Commissioner Raynard Washington said at a news conference on Saturday that the victims were not just elderly, but also included some younger adults. “Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in America, and this is the hottest stretch we’ve seen in over 14 years,” New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said at the same news conference.

The heat wave has affected large parts of the country, with more than 20 states recording temperatures of at least 37.8 degrees Celsius, according to the FOX Forecast Center. At least 148 daily high-temperature records were set between June 30 and Sunday, July 5.

In Chicago, four people died of causes linked to the city’s recent heat wave, according to records from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. In Mississippi, Hinds County officials confirmed Saturday that an 83-year-old woman died of heat exposure after falling in a garden near her house.

In New York City, the multi-day heat wave sent hundreds of residents to emergency rooms over the past week. The US capital, Washington, D.C., recorded its warmest July 4 on record, with the temperature reaching 39.4 degrees Celsius.

The Great American State Fair, a national exposition held on the National Mall as part of the US 250th anniversary celebrations, was temporarily closed on Friday after emergency responders treated 44 people, including 11 who were taken to hospitals, many for heat-related illnesses and injuries, NBC News reported.

Several other events scheduled for Saturday, including an Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C., were also canceled due to the extreme heat. Philadelphia recorded historic high temperatures of 38.3 degrees Celsius or higher for three consecutive days for the first time since records began. Atlantic City tied its all-time highest temperature on Saturday, when the temperature reached 41.1 degrees Celsius.