As Heat Busts Records, Nearly 500 Deaths In This Part Of Canada

A new Canadian record was set this week in Lytton, British Columbia, where the temperature reached 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius).

A historic heat wave in western Canada is believed to have led to a sharp spike of deaths in British Columbia, with the toll expected to climb further. The 486 sudden deaths are nearly triple the 165 that would normally occur in the province over a five-day period, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. The number is preliminary and is expected to rise as more records are entered into the system. "It is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather B.C. has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province," Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a statement. A new Canadian record was set this week in Lytton, British Columbia, where the temperature reached 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius). The heat has stunned residents in a region accustomed to weather so cool and chilly at this time of the year that June is often referred to as "Juneuary."