[Anchor]
The United States is experiencing a heatwave that is literally lethal. In New Jersey alone, 22 people have died, and at least 25 have lost their lives across the country.
Here is correspondent Lee Han-seok from Washington.
[Reporter]
On July 3 (local time), temperatures in New York reached 38°C (100°F), with the feels-like temperature soaring to 43°C (109°F).
Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and other eastern regions also saw record-breaking temperatures.
This record-breaking heatwave was caused by a heat dome that formed extensively from the U.S. Midwest to the East Coast.
[Jessica / Alabama: It is just incredibly hot. So I am wearing a cooling towel and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated.]
Casualties have also been mounting.
With 22 deaths in New Jersey, a total of 25 fatalities have been reported across the U.S.
Most of the victims were found dead in homes without air conditioning, on the streets, or inside parked cars.
Yesterday (July 5), at the 250th Independence Day celebration held at the National Mall in Washington D.C., the temperature of chairs heated by the midday sun reached 70°C (158°F). The National Guard was urgently deployed as numerous people suffered from heat-related illnesses.
[Renee / Washington D.C.: I heard that they were closing the event venue because of the heat. A lot of people were collapsing.]
As the heatwave began to subside, strong thunderstorms and torrential rain caused further damage.
A cold front carrying cold air from the north moved southward, colliding with the remaining hot and humid air to form a powerful storm front.
In the eastern U.S., strong winds of up to 95 km/h and lightning were forecast, and a flood advisory was issued for the New York City area due to sudden downpours.
Power outages occurred mainly in Michigan and New Jersey, leaving 900,000 households without electricity, and over 500 reports of damage from strong winds were filed.
The U.S. National Weather Service warned of potential additional damage, as high temperatures and humidity are expected to persist even at night.
Reported by Lee Han-seok | Video by Park Eun-ha | Video Editing by Jo Mu-hwan
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