Story at a glance
- The record-breaking heat wave that tore across the Pacific Northwest has been listed as the probable cause of nearly 100 deaths in Oregon alone, state authorities have said.
- Sixty-four deaths were reported in Multnomah County, which includes Portland.
- Between 2017 and 2019 there were 12 deaths from hyperthermia in the entire state.
The record-breaking heat wave that tore across the Pacific Northwest has been listed as the probable cause of nearly 100 deaths in Oregon alone, state authorities have said.
The state medical examiner has reported 95 heat-related deaths, 30 of which were due to hyperthermia or excessive heat, according to USA Today. Sixty-four deaths were reported in Multnomah County, which includes Portland.
A preliminary analysis from Multnomah County noted that the first hyperthermia death from the heat wave was reported on June 27, with a majority of cases occurring on or after June 28. The average age of the deceased was 68. According to the analysis, “the majority of people” died at home, and many had underlying conditions. Between 2017 and 2019 there were 12 deaths from hyperthermia in the entire state.
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“This tragic event is almost certainly a glimpse into the future for Multnomah County, Oregon, the nation and the world,” Public Health Director Jessica Guernsey said in a press release.
“The impacts of climate change with heat waves, severe winter weather, wildfires, floods, and other rippling effects are happening now and will happen with more frequency for the foreseeable future,” Guernsey continued.
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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told CBS on Sunday that “this is a harbinger of things to come.”
“We have been working to prepare for climate change in this state for a number of years,” she said. “What was unprecedented, of course, was the three days of record-breaking heat, and it was horrific to see over 90 Oregonians lose their lives. And we have to continue with our preparedness work.”
Brown additionally declared a state of emergency and invoked the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act to secure resources to combat the Wrentham Market Fire in Wasco County. The fire is now fully contained.
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