Tens of millions swelter as heat wave blasts US

Tuesday saw tens of millions of Americans suffering in extreme heat as the heat wave continued to rage across the central and eastern portions of the nation, with the meteorologists cautioning that such extreme weather would continue throughout the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), dozens of cities might see record temperatures as high as 38°C. In addition to high temperatures, humidity would lead to high heat index as high as 115°F (46°C).

While America was gearing up to celebrate its 250th year since its declaration of independence, the nation also hosted the FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

On its part, Chicago opened up cooling centers and sent out city personnel for well-being checks of those living in danger zones due to the hot weather. Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York unveiled a comprehensive heat response strategy involving hydration vans, cooling centers with misting fans and giving away cooling towels.

As for Washington DC, it is expected to see temperatures reaching 38°C from Thursday until Saturday, during which time there is planned a spectacular Independence Day fireworks at the National Mall, described as the biggest in the nation's history.

As per the National Weather Service, there are over 60 million Americans who currently fall within the jurisdiction of heat warnings. Authorities have been cautioning members of the public on how to spot signs of illness from heat exposure such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and even life-threatening heatstroke.

Other issues being raised involve risks associated with leaving children inside vehicles. The National Safety Council states that there have been nine cases of deaths of kids in hot cars within the year in the United States compared to an annual average of 37 child deaths.

There are also risks of pets becoming ill during the heat waves; authorities advise pet owners to keep dogs indoors except for when taking them out briefly and not walking them outside where the pavement is hot enough to scald the pads of their paws.

This heat wave is posing problems for the FIFA World Cup as some knockout stage games will be played in extremely hot conditions, such as the game between France and Sweden to be played in New York/New Jersey, and Norway versus Côte d'Ivoire in Dallas.