The growing dangers of record heat waves like the one engulfing July 4th celebrations
Americans across the East Coast are preparing for one of the hottest Independence Days in recorded history. Triple-digit temperatures have disrupted travel, strained the energy grid and forced some communities to change or cancel planned celebrations. Meanwhile, health authorities in Europe have now linked thousands of excess deaths to record heat. Jeff Goodell joins Amna Nawaz to unpack it all.
Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
Yesterday, more than 100 people in Pennsylvania were treated for heat-related illnesses at an event tied to the 250th anniversary celebration. In the capital, today's events on the National Mall were postponed for hours because of the extreme heat.
And, in New York City, where the heat index was expected to reach 110 degrees today, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to take precautions.
Zohran Mamdani (D), Mayor of New York City: What we ask New Yorkers to do is to be mindful of the danger that accompanies those temperatures. That means make sure that you stay hydrated, make sure that you're putting on sunscreen, make sure that you're taking as many breaks as possible from being outside. And, if you can, to stay indoors and to stay in air conditioning.
