|THE DEN|
About 600 people have died so far by record–breaking temperatures in Canada. Over 170 wildfires sizzled by the heatwave and tinder-dry conditions. This scorching heat or humid conditions lead to heatstroke, heat exhaustion or other deadly heat illness.
The heat wave has forced schools and covid – 19 vaccination centers to close in the Vancouver area .This ever increasing heat has been named as the heat dome. The heat has been intense enough to melt power cables and buckled roads.
What caused the heatwave ?
The persistent high temperatures are the result of “Heat dome “which is formed when scorching summer air becomes trapped under an atmospheric lid .It is unclear yet what triggered the dome, but the sudden change in weather is being considered the main reason for Canadian heat wave. Global Warming is believed to be the main cause for sudden climatic change.
Canada broke it’s national heat record on June 29, when the temperature in British Columbia reached 49.6° c (121° F). The north western part of US has also seen record high temperatures and a number of fatalities.
Worst affected areas The worst affected areas are the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, as well as parts of Saskatchewan , the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Canada’s environment department has issued heat warnings for all of them.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the situation caused by the heatwave was “unprecedented”. Meanwhile recalling last year’s record wildfires, president Joe Biden warned that this year could be even harder.
David Philips, senior climatologist at environmental Canada said, “As lockdown situation is still going on in Canada and so breathing through mask in these kind of temperatures is just brutal”. But the good news is maybe in few days it will be history, but it will take toll before Canada gets there”, he added during an interview .
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