According to the National weather Service, Phoenix in Arizona has recorded temperatures of 117 degrees Fahrenheit and has crossed the July 7 mark which was at 115 degrees. Meteorologists have said the normal high temperature for July 7 in Phoenix is 107 degrees.

Media reports have mentioned about cacti, mailboxes and trash bins melting in the 120F heat as the city continues to witness high temperatures since June. Death due to the heatwave is also increasing with a count of more than 60. Experts believe that the weather will become cooler with the onset of monsoons but will still be around the 100-degree mark for some more time.

Tackling the heatwave

Daily Mail UK reports that in late June, there was a record-breaking temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix and fire crews had to attend to a number of heat-related emergencies. In order to tackle the situation, the authorities had to open nearly a number of cooling centers and had to cancel many of the flights from the Sky Harbor Airport.

In the current year, the temperature at the airport has touched at least 110 degrees 17 times and the heatwave caused several flights to be canceled to and from the region during the week of June 20. Officials of American Airlines have said that when the temperature rises, it is difficult for airplanes to take off which requires cooler temperatures and a better weather.

As far as the human body is concerned, when temperatures rise above 110 degrees, the automatic cooling down of the body is affected which could lead to serious consequences including death.

Public Health officials are investigating the 60 deaths reported in the city of Phoenix to establish whether those were due to the heat. Last year, the count was 130 and the year before that it was 85. Senior citizens are the most vulnerable to this phenomenon.

What is the solution?

Summer is a period of high temperatures and Phoenix is no exception, more so because of its proximity to the desert.

Hence, high temperatures are expected but, when it reaches intolerable levels to become a heatwave and people begin to die, there is a need to introspect.

The reasons for the unnatural phenomenon must be analyzed and preventive actions must be taken because it can be safely said that this is a result of global warming coupled with deforestation. This happens when man fails to recognize the contribution of the environment and the weather goes out of control.

It can be concluded that most of the ills of today pertaining to natural disasters like drought, floods, and landslides can be attributed to the disregard man has for the environment. In order to fulfill his selfish needs, he has exploited nature to the hilt and the effects of global warming are visible at every corner. If the attitude does not change, the Earth could, one day, become another planet like Mars.
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