The eastern United States was hit by a severe heat wave on the 24th, with afternoon temperatures in Washington, New York, Boston and other locations soaring above 38°C. Nearly 160 million people across the country are under high temperature alerts.
According to ABC News, a strong heat wave swept across the East Coast, breaking June high temperature records in several major cities. In terms of heat index, the capital Washington felt the hottest, with a perceived temperature reaching 43°C.
Due to the high temperatures, the U.S. railway system was forced to implement speed restrictions, causing multiple train delays. According to reports from Amtrak, trains on major intercity routes such as New York to Washington experienced delays generally exceeding 60 minutes.
NBC reported that since Monday, the "dangerous heat wave" has put nearly 160 million Americans under high temperature alerts, and high temperature-related deaths have been reported in eastern and central cities. In St. Ann, Missouri, a woman unfortunately died at home without air conditioning. In Paterson, New Jersey, more than 100 people needed treatment during two outdoor graduation ceremonies.
Meteorological departments in many areas indicated that the significant impact of high temperatures is expected to continue until Wednesday this week, after which a period of rainfall may arrive. To cope with peak electricity demand, Con Edison, the main supplier for the eastern U.S., has initiated an emergency power supply plan and is urging the public to conserve electricity.