Pedestrians shield themselves from the sun in the city of Guadalajara in Mexico’s Jalisco state. Photo by AFP/Ulises Ruiz
More than 100 people have died due to extreme heat in Mexico in June, the government said, following a series of heatwaves in the Latin American nation.
Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing record high temperatures.
Over 1,000 heat-related emergencies were reported in Mexico between June 12 and 25, of which 104 resulted in deaths, according to health ministry figures released on Wednesday.
Authorities had already reported eight deaths between April 14 and May 31, bringing the total to 112.
The main cause was heat stroke, followed by dehydration, according to the health ministry.
Mexico’s northern regions reported the most fatalities, with 64 deaths recorded in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon and 19 in neighboring Tamaulipas, bordering the US state of Texas, which has also been hit by extreme heat.
In Mexico, a maximum temperature of 49 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) was recorded this week in the northwestern state of Sonora, the health ministry said.
Average maximum temperatures in Mexico during the summer fluctuate between 30 and 45 degrees Celsius, it added.
Authorities warn that another heatwave could affect the country of 127 million people starting on July 1.
In May, the United Nations warned that it is near-certain that 2023-2027 will be the warmest five-year period ever recorded, as greenhouse gases and El Nino combine to send temperatures soaring.
