Record heat wave claims 33 lives in Quebec
MONTREAL: Thirty-three people have died in Quebec from one of the worst heat waves to hit eastern and central Canada in decades, authorities said on Thursday, underscoring the vulnerability of elderly, ill and poor people during the hot summer months.
David Kaiser, the senior physician at Montreal’s public health agency, said that most of those who had died from the heat in Montreal were 65 or older, had histories of health problems or mental illness and had been living without air-conditioning.
He said that disadvantaged people who had chronic illnesses or were living alone were particularly vulnerable. “While we are an advanced industrialised economy, these deaths reflect that there are serious social inequalities,” he said, adding that many wealthy countries the world over had been hit by heat waves associated with climate change.
Public health authorities in Quebec have made a concerted effort to improve the reporting of heat-related deaths. They have set up a special liaison program with hospitals and emergency rooms to monitor heat-related illnesses and mortality, Mr Kaiser said, which may explain why the number of deaths seems high compared to elsewhere in the nation.
On Thursday, as temperatures in Montreal rose to 33C — 5C above the average daily temperature for July. Local residents sought refuge in park fountains or remained inside in air-conditioned homes or offices. Some elderly residents cancelled appointments and stayed at home, eager to avoid the stifling heat outside.
Home appliance stores have been mobbed in recent days, with residents trying to buy air-conditioners, only to discover that all the units are sold out. At a sprawling Home Depot store in central Montreal, about 20 shoppers were seen fighting this week over the last remaining air-conditioner unit. “It’s survival of the fittest,” said Victor Perchet, who managed to get his hands on the last unit.
Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for the provinces of southern Quebec, much of Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. To protect themselves against the heat, the agency has called on residents to drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day, to avoid alcohol, and spend two hours a day, if not more, in air-conditioned or cool places, and to avoid leaving children or babies alone in sweltering vehicles.