Think it’s hot here? They’re dying in UK heatwave

Up to 760 people may have died in England after a ten-day heatwave hit Britain, researchers said this week.

The news came as UK hospitals reported a sharp rise in admissions for heat-related problems – including severe dehydration, heatstroke and breathing difficulties.

Wednesday was the hottest day of the year in the UK, with temperatures hitting more than 32C in the London area.

The temperature on parts of the London Underground network hit 35C.

The thermometer peaked at 29.4C in Bermuda on the same day.

Warnings

Level three heatwave warnings — the second highest — have been issued by the Meteorological Office for the south east of England, London, south west England and the West Midlands.

Scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said that, based on weather information from the Met Office and previous heatwave death rates, between 540 and 760 people may have died as a result of the weather.

Two soldiers —  believed to have been taking part in the gruelling selection process for the Territorial Army squadrons of the Special Air Service (SAS) in Wales – are thought to have died last Saturday due to the sweltering temperatures. A third soldier remains seriously ill in hospital.

Much of the US is also suffering from extreme temperatures – with Las Vegas, Nevada, hitting 46C, just two degrees short of its record temperature.

Temperatures in New York have hit 32C.

Deaths in US

The heat has already been blamed for at least two deaths, an elderly man in Las Vegas and another in Kentucky.

More than 40 other people have been treated in Las Vegas hospitals for heat related complaints since the heatwave started last Friday.

And in California, firefighters have battled wildfire outside Palm Springs in the southern part of the state.

The heatwave has stretched from South Dakota to Massachusetts on the eastern seaboard – is to expected end on Thursday when a wave of cold air travels south from Canada.