The U.S. recorded over 2,300 heat-related deaths last year, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a number that represents the highest total in 45 years of records.
But dozens of doctors and health experts say this figure is only a fraction of the real death toll, according to a report published Friday by The Associated Press.
“We can be confident saying that 2023 was the worst year we’ve had since we started having reliable reporting on that,” said Dr. John Balbus of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the U.S. Department of Health.
Most of the deaths have occurred in five southern states — Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Florida, and Louisiana — which together accounted for 61% of the nation’s heat-related deaths in the past five years.
From 1979 to 1999, those states only accounted for 18% of U.S. heat-related fatalities — a clear indication of the effects of climate change.
“In the last five years, we are seeing this consistent and record kind of unprecedented upward trend,” Balbus added. “And I think it’s because the levels of heat that we have seen in the last several years have exceeded what we had seen in the last 20 or 30.”
Across the country last year, more heat waves were recorded than in any year since 1936.
Last summer, Phoenix experienced 31 consecutive days of highs at or above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record was 18 days in 1974.
In Maricopa County, Ariz. alone, at least 645 people died due to the extreme heat, many of them stuck outside or in their cars due to homeless or mental illness, according to the report.
But experts claim that death certificates often underreport heat-related deaths, suggesting “excess death” studies could offer a more accurate count. These studies compare death rates during extreme conditions to normal circumstances, offering a clearer picture of heat-related mortality.
One such study by Texas A&M University estimated around 11,000 heat deaths in the U.S. in 2023, almost five times the amount reported by the CDC.
Andrew Dessler, who conducted the study with his colleague Jangho Lee, claims that most people who are dying are those who work outside or who can’t air-condition their house.
And with Earth just having had its warmest May on record, things could get even worse.
Deaths caused by #heat in the #US and elsewhere are only heading in one direction – up. Don’t expect this trend to reverse anytime soon. The #climate is heading into uncharted territory at this point and the risk of a seriously large event grows by the day. pic.twitter.com/bHjo1Y2436
— Peter Dynes (@PGDynes) May 30, 2024
“This is a taste of the future,” Dessler said. “In 20 years, we’re going to look back at 2023 and say, man, that was cool. The problem with climate change is if it hasn’t pushed you over the edge yet, just wait.”
With News Wire Services
