Four people dead in Thurston County from the record-breaking heatwave

With temperatures hitting over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the Thurston County Coroner reported that at least four people died due to the heat,  including a 39-year-old man in Tumwater.

Official temperatures from last Friday through Monday ranged as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Informal reports were as high as 109 degrees in Thurston County on Monday, June 28.

The youngest victim of the heat appears to be a 39-year old man, who was found dead in his apartment in Tumwater. While the County Coroner is still awaiting results of the autopsy, they highly suspect that the individual died from hyperthermia since the apartment did not have air conditioning.

Hyperthermia usually results when the body is unable to cope with the heat. Its symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, abnormally high body temperature and stroke.

According to the Washington Health Department, at least 1,792 people across the state were rushed to hospitals due to the extreme heat.

While meteorologists predict a second heatwave is highly unlikely for this summer, Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health in Seattle, reminded residents that the extreme weather conditions reflect a much bigger issue. "The record-shattering extreme heat we’re experiencing is just the latest example of our climate crisis and how it’s impacting human health now,” Duchin said.

In fact, the health department warned residents that Washington summers are potentially getting more dangerous. The state claimed that incidents of extreme heat events will likely increase in the future.