230 people have died in a heat wave in British Columbia, according to sources
230 people have died in a heat wave in British Columbia, according to sources
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In a statement, Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said, “Since the commencement of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has seen a significant rise in deaths reported where it is suspected that high heat was a contributory factor.”

During a four-day period, the coroner’s office receives approximately 130 death reports. At least 233 deaths were documented from Friday to Monday, according to the chief coroner, who added that “as data continues to be updated, this number will increase.”

According to the statement, coroners are now gathering data to assess the cause and manner of the fatalities, as well as if heat played a part.

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Environmental heat exposure can have serious or fatal consequences, especially in the elderly, newborns and young children, and persons with chronic conditions, according to the statement.

Earlier in the day, authorities in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey reported a surge in unexpected deaths.

Since the heat wave began on Friday, Vancouver police have attended to over 65 sudden deaths, according to the department. “As of 1:45 p.m. today, officers had responded to 20 sudden deaths, with more than a dozen others awaiting police dispatch,” according to the department.

Officials claim that heat-related deaths have drained front-line resources and caused significant delays in response times.

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Sgt. Steve Addison, media relations officer, remarked during a press conference, “We’ve never experienced anything like this heat in Vancouver.”

On Saturday, 98.6°F, 99.5°F, and 101.5°F were recorded in downtown Vancouver.

According to Cst. Sarbjit K. Sangha, public relations officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 35 people have died suddenly in Surrey since Monday.

“While the causes of death in each of these cases have yet to be confirmed, we can confirm that Surrey RCMP has responded to a greater than typical number of deaths since the start of the inclement weather,” Sangha stated.

According to a notice from the RCMP, over 34 sudden death calls have been received in the city of Burnaby since Monday, with heat suspected to be a significant factor in the majority of the deaths.

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“We’ve seen how dangerous this weather can be for the elderly and people with underlying health problems in our community. Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Mike Kalanj stated, “It is critical that we check on one another during this intense heat.”

According to the RCMP, many of the fatalities were seniors, and authorities are advising residents to check on loved ones and neighbours as the heat wave that has brought record-breaking temperatures to the region continues.

The Surrey RCMP is urging all people, particularly the elderly, to take care to avoid heat-related injuries.

On Monday, Lytton, British Columbia, hit 117.5 degrees, the highest temperature ever recorded in the country and over 48 degrees above usual for this time of year.

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