Mexico Heatwave: At Least 21 Dead, More in Hospital Amid Blazing Temperatures

A scorching heat dome is over Texas and Mexico as a massive heatwave is gripping both places. However, in Mexico, the death toll is rising.

Since March, at least 112 people have died from "natural extreme temperatures" in Mexico. This was according to the Mexican health secretariat. So far, the hardest hit area is Nuevo Leon state, with 64 confirmed deaths.

Other states were also hit hard by the Mexico heatwave, with Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sonora, and Campeche each reporting dozens of deaths. In addition, at least 1,559 people have received medical treatment for heat-related health problems since March, according to CNN.

So far, Mexico has been hit with record-high temperatures over the last ten days. Some areas in the country are even reporting monthly or all-time records, with temperatures over 45 degrees Celsius.

The Mexico heatwave has gotten so bad that some local governments are conducting emergency measures. In Tamaulipas, in particular, Governor Americo Villarreal Anaya has ordered the formation of a working group to develop a response plan to the deaths resulting from the heatwave.

The heatwave is not just gripping Mexico but, as Latin Post previously reported, also in the southern United States, with the hardest hit being Texas. The record-high temperatures in both countries are caused by a "heat dome," a ridge of high pressure that builds over an area that traps air inside and builds warm temperatures.

The heatwave for both the US and Mexico is expected to last until the end of June, but these heat domes are expected to become more frequent and hotter due to climate change.

Like Texas, Mexico Heatwave Is Also Causing an Energy Crisis

In Texas, the heatwave has caused a significant rise in power consumption, causing households to strain the state's power grid even further. It has even caused some blackouts.

The same could be said for Mexico, as households tend to use more air conditioning due to heat.

According to The Guardian, energy demands in the country have already surpassed last year by 9%. The strain on the power grid has become evident as blackouts have already been reported in some cities, such as Cancun and Tulum. This left many residents without air conditioning and fresh water, with several heat-related deaths already being reported.

Texas is not faring any better, as at least 50 million people have been placed under extreme heat advisories due to the soaring temperatures. The strain it has placed on the Texas power grid has gotten so bad that its operator has asked Texans to voluntarily cut back on electricity due to the record-high demand.

Worsening Mexico Heatwave Caused By Climate Change

Scientists believe that the heatwave is linked to climate change. Climate Analytics and Columbia University Scientist Kai Kornhuber thinks so and told NPR, "They are occurring at a higher frequency, so that also increases the likelihood of sequential heatwaves."

Climate change is certainly one of the main factors, but this year, El Niño is also happening, and it has made global temperatures warmer, worsening the current heatwaves happening all over the world.

"That's its role in the global climate system - is moving some of the energy up from depth and dumping it into the atmosphere," said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Blaming 'El Niño': Mexicans swelter in third heatwave - Al Jazeera English