The ongoing heat wave in western Canada has contributed to hundreds of deaths, according to authorities.
From Friday to Wednesday 486 sudden and unexpected deaths were reported in the province of British Columbia, said the forensic medicine of the West Coast province on Wednesday afternoon (local time).
This number is likely to increase.
It is 195 percent above the usual average for a comparable period.
The authority assumes that the sharp increase is related to the extreme heat.
Air-conditioned centers have been set up in the affected region where people can find refuge from the heat.
Forensic doctor Lisa Lapointe called for precautionary measures to be taken and people at risk to be helped.
"The whole city is on fire"
In the village of Lytton, residents are forced to flee their homes because of the blazing flames.
Mayor Jan Polderman ordered the evacuation of the place in the province of British Columbia on Wednesday evening, reported the TV broadcaster CBC.
“It's awful.
The whole city is on fire, ”he told the broadcaster.
“It took about 15 minutes from the first signs of smoke to the point where there was suddenly fire everywhere.” Previously, Lytton had set heat records for three days in a row.
According to the weather authorities, the thermometer showed 49.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in the town with around 250 inhabitants, an “all-time temperature record”. Lytton is around 260 kilometers northeast of Vancouver. Because of the fires, many residents had to go to safety, some without their belongings, as reported by CBC. The fire department reported several fires in the area on Twitter. Information on the dimensions was initially not available.