Why did so many people die in the Chicago heat wave?

The July 1995 Chicago heat wave led to 739 heat-related deaths in Chicago over a period of five days. Most of the victims of the heat wave were elderly poor residents of the city, who could not afford air conditioning and did not open windows or sleep outside for fear of crime.

What problems are caused by heat waves?

Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat stroke, and death, as well as exacerbate preexisting chronic conditions, such as various respiratory, cerebral, and cardiovascular diseases.

Who is most affected by heat waves?

People at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to 4 years old; people 65 years of age and older; people who are overweight or have existing medical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease; people who are socially isolated; and the poor.

How many people died in the heat wave in India?

17,642 people
According to official statistics, 17,642 people have died from heat-related causes in Chennai since the heatwave began—more than a third of the 52,348 deaths reported nationally. Those are shocking statistics, but all the more so when juxtaposed with the experience of nearby Hyderabad.

How many people died of heat in Chicago?

Twenty-five years ago, one of the deadliest events in Chicago history slowly unfolded: 739 Chicagoans — many of them poor, elderly and Black — died from heat-related causes over five days of intense and unrelenting heat in July 1995.

How many died in the Chicago heat wave?

Four years after the 1995 disaster, on July 20-31, 1999, a nearly identical bubble of extreme heat and humidity enveloped the city, killing 114, according to Cook County records. The city of Chicago still hadn’t connected the dots between heat and climate.

Who is at risk in a heat wave?

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable people are: older people – especially those over 75. those who live on their own or in a care home. people who have a serious or long term illness – including heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease or some mental health conditions.

What makes someone more vulnerable to a heat wave?

People’s vulnerability to heat depends on climatic factors (such as the frequency of heat waves) and on individual risk factors, including medical, behavioural and environmental factors, for example age, gender, pre-existing disease, use of certain medications, level of hydration, living alone, housing condition ( …

Who are at risk during heatwave?

Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to four years of age, people 65 years of age and older, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications.

What causes a heat dome?

In short, a heat dome is created when an area of high pressure stays over the same area for days or even weeks, trapping very warm air underneath – rather like a lid on a pot. The jet stream is a core of strong winds high above the Earth’s surface that helps to develop and steer areas of low pressure around.

What increases the risk of heat-related death?

Certain population groups already face higher risks of heat-related death, and increases in summertime temperature variability will increase that risk. 6, 7 The population of adults aged 65 and older, which is expected to continue to grow, has a higher-than-average risk of heat-related death.

What year saw the peak in heat-related deaths?

The indicator shows a peak in heat-related deaths in 2006, a year that was associated with widespread heat waves and was one of the hottest years on record in the contiguous 48 states (see the U.S. and Global Temperature indicator).

How many people die from heatstroke each year?

Between 1979 and 2014, the death rate as a direct result of exposure to heat (underlying cause of death) generally hovered around 0.5 to 1 deaths per million people, with spikes in certain years (see Figure 1). Overall, a total of more than 9,000 Americans have died from heat-related causes since 1979, according to death certificates.

How many people die from summer heat each year?

Summer Deaths Due to Heat and Cardiovascular Disease in the United States, 1999–2018 Between 1979 and 2018, the death rate as a direct result of exposure to heat (underlying cause of death) generally hovered between 0.5 and 2 deaths per million people, with spikes in certain years (see Figure 1).