08 July,2026 07:05 PM IST | New Jersey | mid-day online correspondent
New Jersey Health Commissioner Raynard Washington said the victims were not only elderly but also included younger adults. Representational Image
A scorching heat wave that gripped large parts of the United States (US) during the weekend of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations has claimed more than two dozen lives across the East Coast, Southeast, and Southwest, news agency IANS reported.
In New Jersey alone, at least 29 people are estimated to have died due to the heatwave, according to the state's department of health.
The deaths were reported across 10 counties, with officials saying most of the victims were found in homes without air conditioning, Xinhua news agency reported.
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, New Jersey Health Commissioner Raynard Washington said the victims were not only elderly but also included younger adults.
"Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in America, and this is the hottest stretch we've seen in over 14 years," New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said at the same news conference.
The heatwave affected large parts of the country, with more than 20 states recording temperatures of at least 37.8 degrees Celsius, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Between June 30 and July 5, at least 148 daily high-temperature records were broken.
In Chicago, four people died from causes linked to the recent heat wave, according to records from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
In Mississippi, officials in Hinds County confirmed on Saturday that an 83-year-old woman died of heat exposure after falling in a garden near her home.
In New York City, the prolonged heat wave sent hundreds of residents to emergency rooms over the past week.
The US capital, Washington, DC, recorded its hottest July 4 on record, with temperatures reaching 39.4 degrees Celsius.
The Great American State Fair, a national exposition held on the National Mall as part of the US 250th anniversary celebrations, was temporarily closed on Friday after emergency responders treated 44 people, including 11 who were taken to hospitals, many for heat-related illnesses and injuries, NBC News reported.
Several other events scheduled for Saturday, including an Independence Day parade in Washington, DC, were also cancelled due to the extreme heat.
Philadelphia recorded temperatures of 38.3 degrees Celsius or higher for three consecutive days for the first time since records began.
Atlantic City also tied its all-time highest recorded temperature on Saturday, with the mercury touching 41.1 degrees Celsius.
(With IANS inputs)
