FEROCIOUS EUROPE HEAT WAVE HAS KILLED OVER 1,700 IN PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

Sun 24 July 2022:

More than 1,700 people have died as a result of the ongoing heat wave in Europe, which has been called “unprecedented, frightening, and apocalyptic,” according to the regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday.

Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said in a statement that the situation highlights the “desperate need for pan-European action to effectively tackle climate change, the overarching crisis of our time that is threatening both individual health and the very existence of humanity.”

“For this to happen, governments need to demonstrate political will and genuine leadership in implementing the global Paris Agreement on climate change, with collaboration replacing division and empty rhetoric,” he said.

Kluge noted that wildfires, known for their disastrous impact in southern Europe, are now occurring as far north as Scandinavia, while fires in London this week have destroyed 41 homes.

“This scorching summer season is barely halfway done,” he said.

“Climate change is not new. Its consequences, however, are mounting season after season, year after year, with disastrous outcomes.”

The WHO regional chief explained that extreme heat exposure often exacerbates pre-existing health conditions.

“Heatstroke and other serious forms of hyperthermia – an abnormally high body temperature – cause suffering and premature death. Individuals at either end of life’s spectrum – infants and children, and older people – are at particular risk,” he said.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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