By Briasia Russ

This year’s heat is hitting different. High temperatures and humidity are causing unexpected deaths in the Northwestern part of the country. According to AP News, Oregon health officials said late Wednesday that more than 60 deaths have been caused by heat.  

According to AP News, Lisa Lapointe, British Columbia’s chief coroner, says that she received reports of at least 486 “sudden and unexpected deaths,” compared to the normal 165 people that would die over a five-day period. 

Lapointe reported in a statement that the deaths are most likely linked to the extreme heat.  

“While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather,” Lapointe says.  

Seattle is also facing dangerous heat temperatures. Homes in Seattle don’t have air conditioning, which is putting the state in a climate emergency.  

My home in Seattle does not have air conditioning. Many #Seattle homes do not have #AC, because up north in this region, we didn’t used to need it.#Heatwaves are deadly, especially for places not designed to handle them.

We are in a #ClimateEmergency!
https://t.co/56LthnVyOE

— Jamie Margolin (@Jamie_Margolin) June 27, 2021

According to AP News, meteorologists reported that the heat wave was caused by a dome of high pressure over the Northwest and was worsened by climate change.  

This deadly heat wave has been reported to be the worst heat wave on record.