A man tries to shield himself from the heat in Austin, Texas on June 19, 2023 ( GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Brandon Bell )
A heat wave is hitting the southern United States hard, particularly Texas and Louisiana, with “dangerous” conditions expected to last for several days, authorities warned on Tuesday.
With summer just beginning, millions of Americans are under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures often topping 40°C.
The episode also affects part of New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and northern Florida.
Global warming, caused by human activities, is responsible for the multiplication and intensification of heat waves in the world, scientists have been hammering for years.
“Drink plenty of water, stay in rooms with air conditioning, shade, and check on your family and neighbors,” the US Weather Services (NWS) said, calling the conditions “dangerously hot.”
They also advised wearing light clothing and rescheduling strenuous activities at the start or end of the day. “Anyone suffering from heat should be transported to a cool, shaded place. Sunstroke is an emergency!”, they added.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, a heat alert was issued from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
In Houston, the fourth largest city in the country with 2.3 million inhabitants, cooling centers have been opened so that fragile people can take refuge there.
The agency in charge of managing most of the electricity grid in Texas, Ercot, warned that demand was higher due to heat (for example to run air conditioning systems), but said expect to be able to cope.
These extreme temperatures have already been going on for days and are expected to continue through the weekend.
The small Texas town of Del Rio, on the border with Mexico, broke its heat record for eight consecutive days, reaching around 43°C on Sunday, according to local weather services.
At the end of last week, in the south of the State, the Big Bend national park announced the death of two people who went hiking when it was 48°C. A 14-year-old lost consciousness and died, along with his father, in a car accident as he left to seek help.
2023-06-27 16:14:03
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