New York declares state of emergency on heat wave, severe weather
NEW YORK, June 23 (Xinhua) -- New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in as many as 32 counties in response to severe weather and extreme heat.
The state experienced a cluster of severe thunderstorms on Sunday morning, which caused downed trees and power lines, structural damage and power outages.
In particular, three people died from falling trees in Central New York on Sunday morning as severe storms including a tornado swept the region.
New York state is expected to undergo a multi-day heat wave from Sunday to Wednesday.
Maximum heat indexes would reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit to 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday and Tuesday in Tri-State area, according to a heat advisory by the National Weather Service.
Moreover, New York City issued an extreme heat warning and code red alert on Saturday with cooling centers open to the public and shelters available to anyone experiencing homelessness.
Fans and water would be supplied to poll sites without air conditioning on Tuesday when Democratic mayoral primary election would be held, according to the New York City Election Board.
However, Southeast Queens suffered a power outage on Monday morning with over 6,000 customers without power.
More than 500 New Yorkers die from heat each year often in homes without air conditioning and the number is higher than deaths from hurricanes, floods, or winter storms, according to New York City Emergency Management.
Around 170 million Americans in the central and eastern part of the country are facing the scorching of a massive heat dome this week. A multi-day heat health emergency also was issued in Philadelphia.
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