Heat waves kill over 200 in Adamawa

• The weather condition triggered an approximate 47 to 50 degrees centigrade, which experts describe as a danger level, saying such could cause high risk of heat cramps and exhaustion

A period of considerable and intense heat wave has left at least 200 people dead in Nigeria’s northeast State of Adamawa.

The deaths were recorded between 1st to 13th of this month (May) in Yola, the State capital after the city experienced a dangerous humid heat.

Residents who spoke to newsmen lamented a combination of high temperatures and relatively humid air.

The weather condition triggered an approximate 47 to 50 degrees centigrade, which experts describe as a danger level, saying such could cause high risk of heat cramps and exhaustion.

Daily Trust reports that unofficial records at the Yola Cemetery Corporation (YCC), located in Damare area of the capital city, put the death toll from the treacherous weather situation from May 1 to 13, 2024 at 400.

“I think 400 could have been a slight exaggeration, but surely, the number of people who died in these circumstances was as high as 200. At some point, up to 20 deaths were being recorded per day within that period.” Daily Trust quoted a former permanent secretary who is privy to the development as saying.

Locals who spoke with newsmen said such unusual heat-waves were a seasonal occurrence in Yola and some other parts of Adamawa State but the latest is unprecedented.

“Even people who are up to 80 years of age said they had not experienced the excessive heat-waves we witnessed this year,” the former permanent secretary said.

According to some attendants at the cemetery, an average of 35 bodies were taken for burial at the facility on some of the days within the time under review.

Halliru Jauro Usman and Musa Umar, members of the YCC, attributed the increased deaths to hot weather.

Umar said the deceased’s ages were between 50 and 70.

“The actual number of deaths could be as high as 300 or even 400 from May 1 to 13, considering the number recorded daily,” he said.

Umar said the cemetery needed to be expanded in order to contain dead bodies.