(Mexico City) The death toll from the heatwave that has raged across much of Mexico since March stands at 155 deaths, with 30 new cases between June 13 and 18, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday.
A total of 2,567 health problems due to “extreme natural temperatures” have been recorded since March 17, according to the ministry’s weekly report on the hot season which runs from March 17 to October 5.
The heat killed mainly in the eastern state of Veracruz along the Gulf of Mexico (56) then in Tabasco on the Yucatan Peninsula (18) and in three northern states (Tamaulipas, 17, Nuevo León, 12, and San Luis Potosí, 11).
The deadly heat wave that hit the United States, Mexico and Central America in late May and early June was made 35 times more likely by climate change, experts from the World Weather Attribution reference network estimated Thursday ( WWA).
In Mexico, cities broke heat records such as the capital Mexico City (34.7 degrees on May 25).
Due to high temperatures and a lack of rain, the water level of several dams remains very low and lakes are drying up.
The situation abruptly reversed on Wednesday when tropical storm Alberto brought heavy rains and killed four people when it made landfall in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon.
The Health Ministry, however, warned that most of the country will continue to experience very hot temperatures which could exceed 45 degrees in the state of Baja California (northwest).
Dozens of howler monkeys also died in the forests of Tabasco and Chiapas in the south of the country, where temperatures above 40 degrees were recorded.
