US heat-related deaths hit record high in 2023

ISTANBUL – The US recorded the highest number of heat-related deaths in 2023 since tracking began in 1999, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers who analyzed US mortality data from 1999 to 2023, found that at least 2,325 people died as a result of extreme heat in 2023, making it the deadliest year for heat-related fatalities in the last 24 years, according to the study published on Monday.

The researchers saw a decrease in heat-related deaths from 2004 to 2010, but then a steady increase throughout the 2010s.

The researchers have warned that global warming will cause temperatures and heat-related deaths in the country to rise even further. (PNA)