LAGOS, Nigeria — The lethal heatwave that hit West Africa earlier this month, overwhelming hospitals and mortuaries in parts of the region, would not have happened without human-caused climate change activity, according to a study by a network of international scientists. Extremely high temperatures of over 110 degrees Fahrenheit likely killed hundreds or thousands of people across multiple countries region.
The new analysis from the World Weather Attribution group found the soaring temperatures in the region during the five-day period of the heatwave would not have been possible without human-induced climate change, including the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Previous studies have found that excessively hot night time temperatures can be particularly deadly, because the body can't cool down and recover from daytime heat stress.
