Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Jul 7: A prolonged heat wave that swept across large parts of the United States during the country's 250th anniversary celebrations has claimed more than two dozen lives, with record-breaking temperatures affecting millions across the East Coast, Southeast and Southwest.

New Jersey has emerged as one of the worst-hit states, with health authorities estimating that at least 29 people died due to heat-related causes. The fatalities were reported across 10 counties, with officials saying many victims were discovered inside homes that lacked air conditioning.

State Health Commissioner Raynard Washington said the victims were not limited to senior citizens, noting that several younger adults also succumbed to the extreme heat.

Describing the situation as unprecedented in recent years, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said extreme heat remains the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States and called the current spell the most intense the state has experienced in more than 14 years.

According to weather agencies, temperatures of 37.8 degrees Celsius or higher were recorded across more than 20 states, while at least 148 daily temperature records were broken between June 30 and July 5.

In Chicago, four deaths were linked to the recent heat wave, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Mississippi also reported a heat-related fatality after an 83-year-old woman died from heat exposure following a fall in her garden in Hinds County.

New York City witnessed a sharp rise in heat-related medical emergencies, with hundreds of residents requiring treatment at hospital emergency departments during the prolonged spell of high temperatures.

The US capital, Washington, D.C., registered its hottest-ever July 4, with temperatures soaring to 39.4 degrees Celsius. Extreme heat also disrupted festivities marking the nation's 250th anniversary.

The Great American State Fair, organised on the National Mall, was temporarily suspended after emergency responders treated 44 people, including 11 who required hospitalisation for heat-related illnesses and injuries.

Several outdoor events scheduled for the holiday weekend, including an Independence Day parade in Washington, were cancelled because of dangerous weather conditions.

Philadelphia also experienced unprecedented heat, recording temperatures of 38.3 degrees Celsius or higher for three consecutive days for the first time since official records began.

Meanwhile, Atlantic City equalled its all-time highest recorded temperature on Saturday, with the mercury climbing to 41.1 degrees Celsius, underscoring the severity of the ongoing heat wave across the region.