Scorching Heatwave Claims Two Lives in Death Valley

Tragic news from Death Valley National Park where one visitor died and another was hospitalized due to extreme heat exposure. The incident occurred as these temperatures reached 128 degrees Fahrenheit. Record-breaking heat across the US has posed severe health threats, prompting warnings from the National Weather Service.

A visitor to Death Valley National Park died on Sunday from heat exposure, with temperatures soaring to 128 degrees Fahrenheit (53.3 C) in eastern California, officials reported. Another visitor was hospitalized due to severe heat illness. Both were part of a group of motorcyclists traveling through the Badwater Basin area in scorching heat.

Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds emphasized the lethal risks associated with such high temperatures. The event marks a dire instance in a prolonged heatwave that has shattered records across the US, particularly impacting the West and East Coasts with dangerous heat levels.

An excessive heat warning, the National Weather Service's highest alert, was in effect for approximately 36 million people. Multiple locations in Northern California witnessed unprecedented heat, with Redding topping out at a record 119 degrees Fahrenheit (48.3 C). Authorities continue to urge people to stay hydrated, avoid sun exposure, and monitor vulnerable individuals.

(With inputs from agencies.)