Dozens dead as heatwave shatters records | The Daily Update

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Dozens dead as heatwave shatters records

Dozens of people have died in Canada amid an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed temperature records. Police in the Vancouver area have responded to more than 130 sudden deaths since Friday. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions. They said the heat was a contributing factor in many cases.

On Tuesday, Canada recorded its highest ever temperature for a third straight day - 49.5 Celsius in Lytton, British Columbia.

Before this week, temperatures in the country had never passed 45 Celsius. The heatwave is due to a dome of high pressure hovering over the north-western US and Canada.

Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated.

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