Street vendors in Mali's capital of Bamako are facing a dire situation as an unprecedented heat wave sweeps across the region, causing a surge in fatalities. The scorching temperatures, reaching as high as 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit), have taken a toll on the population, with reports of over 100 deaths in just the first four days of the month at Gabriel-Touré Hospital.
The extreme weather conditions have particularly affected the elderly population, although exact statistics are unavailable due to restrictions imposed by the country's military rulers. The Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre estimates that the death toll from the heat wave could be in the hundreds, if not thousands.
