New Jersey Heat Wave Leaves at Least 25 Dead

A historic and deadly heat wave that enveloped the eastern and central United States over the Fourth of July holiday weekend is suspected to have killed at least 25 people in New Jersey, state officials announced. The fatalities, first reported on Thursday, July 2, and continuing through the weekend, were concentrated in the state's northern and central regions.

New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington said during a press briefing on Saturday that many of the deceased were found in homes without air conditioning. He added that a few individuals were discovered outside their residences, on the street, or in parked cars. Governor Mikie Sherrill called the prolonged stretch of extreme heat the hottest the state has seen in over 14 years, noting that it impacts people of all ages, not just seniors or those with underlying health conditions.

The crisis was compounded by severe thunderstorms that swept through the region starting Friday night. Governor Sherrill said wind gusts reaching 80 mph toppled trees and power lines, knocking out electricity to approximately 300,000 utility customers in New Jersey. The widespread outages, occurring during the peak of the heat, left...