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Saturday, November 16, 2024

Eight people die in Mexico heatwave

Temperatures reached a record high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in the capital Mexico City this week.

Eight people have died in the third heatwave to hit Mexico since mid-April, the country’s health ministry said on Friday.

Temperatures reached a record high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in the capital Mexico City this week.

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Seven of the victims died of heatstroke and one of dehydration between April 14 and June 12, the ministry said in a statement.

In the northeastern city of Monterrey, temperatures exceeded 40C, while water pressure was reduced in homes and an increased demand for electricity including air conditioning led to power cuts.

Wendy Tijerina, a Monterrey resident, said the heat is more intense because the city lies in an industrial zone.

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“There is a lack of water, you can’t bathe the children or even use a fan because they cut the power,” she told AFP.

She said her family tries to drink a lot of water to protect themselves from heatstroke.

The government of Nuevo Leon state, where Monterrey is located, has limited the time children attend school to two hours a day to avoid sun.

Last year, Mexico declared a drought emergency in parts of the country as a heatwave and dearth of rain depleted reservoirs.

Authorities in some cities, including Monterrey, allowed households to access running water for only a few hours a day for several weeks.