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Over the past 30 years, extreme heat has killed more than 150 thousand people. Scientists came to this conclusion after analyzing data on mortality and temperature in 750 regions of 43 countries.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, is the first to estimate heat wave mortality on a global scale based on long-term observations. Rambler reports this.
Scientists found that excess mortality between 1990 and 2019 amounted to 153,078 deaths per year. This is 1% of all deaths in the world, with an average of 236 deaths per 10 million inhabitants.
Residents of Europe suffer the most from the heat, where the death toll reaches 655 people per 10 million.
The most vulnerable regions also include Southern and Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and South Asia. The leaders in the number of deaths from heat waves were countries such as Greece, Malta and Italy.
Experts note that the risk of dying from heat is highest in arid regions with low incomes. The findings highlight the need to develop comprehensive climate change adaptation measures, with a focus on vulnerable regions.