Cities At Max Risk As Climate Change Raises Heatwave Fatalities: Study

Sydney: Human-induced climate change has caused an increase in heatwave-related deaths, with people in cities at a much higher risk of mortality, according to research published on Tuesday.

In two separate studies, researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) examined the mortality burden of heatwaves in Australia, Xinhua news agency reported.

The first of the studies -- a collaboration between UQ and The Australian National University (ANU) -- analysed mortality rates during a severe heatwave that hit southeastern Australia in 2009 as well as decades of heatwave data to examine the impact of climate change on heat deaths.

Melbourne recorded its highest-ever temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius during the heatwave and parts of the state of Victoria recorded 12 consecutive days over 40 degrees Celsius.

There were an estimated 374 excess deaths in Victoria during the five-day peak of the heatwave.

The study found that climate change increased heatwave-related mortality during the event by 20 per cent. The second study analysed two decades of data to determine which areas of Australia are more vulnerable to heatwaves.