Hundreds of people have died as a result of the extreme heat in Canada

Over 200 people have perished in Canada’s westernmost province in four days, according to authorities, as record-breaking temperatures raise significant worries for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.

According to British Columbia’s top coroner, Lisa Lapointe, the BC Coroners Service received at least 233 reports of deaths between Friday and Monday afternoon, with the number anticipated to rise as more information becomes available.

Over the course of four days, the coroners’ department gets 130 death reports, according to Lapointe.

“Since the start of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has seen a substantial rise in deaths where severe heat is considered to be a contributing factor,” Lapointe said, adding that the precise cause of the deaths was being examined.

As a so-called “heat dome” — a meteorological phenomenon that traps hot air – fell over the country’s west coast, as well as the Pacific Northwest of the United States, temperatures in BC and other Canadian provinces and territories skyrocketed.

“It’s like a lid or a top, and nothing can get in, weather can’t get in to remove that heat, so it simply builds,” Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Phillips told CTV’s Your Morning.

Climate change, according to experts, also had a role in the record-breaking temperatures. Lytton, a town in central British Columbia, set three new Canadian high-temperature records this week, the latest of which was 49.6°C (121.28°F) on Tuesday.

Since the heat wave began on Friday, Metro Vancouver Police officers have reacted to more than 65 unexpected fatalities, while police in Burnaby and Surrey, both in the greater Vancouver region, have also recorded dozens of sudden deaths. Many of the victims were older persons, according to police.

In a statement, Vancouver police Sergeant Steve Addison stated, “The great majority of these instances are connected to the heat.” “This is the first time we’ve ever seen anything like that, and it crushes our hearts. If you have an elderly or fragile family member, please contact or visit them to see how they are doing.”

The Greater Vancouver Area is still under a heat advisory, but Environment Canada says the heat will “become less intense” starting on Wednesday, but temperatures will likely remain abnormally high for the remainder of the week.

Environment Canada advised people to stay hydrated and stay inside, as well as to check on elderly relatives and neighbors.

According to meteorologist Doug Gillham, the severe heat is anticipated to spread throughout the nation on Thursday, with high-temperature records possible in Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta; and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

In a statement on The Weather Network website, Gillham stated, “The hot weather will stretch all the way to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.”

Source: Al Jazeera