Death Valley in the US Soars to 49 Degrees... Hiking Fatality Reported

A man in his 60s who was driving a car with a broken air conditioner dies
"Do not go hiking after 10 a.m."

Another incident presumed to be a death due to heat-related illness occurred in Death Valley, a desert area in California, USA.

According to the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) on the 20th (local time), a man was found collapsed in front of a restroom on the Golden Canyon trail in Death Valley National Park around 3:40 p.m. on the 18th.

On the 11th (local time), a hiker passed by a heat warning sign at the starting point of the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park, California.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The man was wearing a hat and hiking clothes and carrying a backpack, suggesting he was hiking in the area. Identification revealed that he was a 71-year-old man residing in Los Angeles.

Park visitors immediately called 911 upon discovering the man. The park rangers arrived seven minutes later and performed emergency measures including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he was ultimately pronounced dead.

The exact cause of death has not yet been determined. However, the park authorities believe heat was the cause. At the time the man is presumed to have died, the temperature at Furnace Creek, the official temperature observation point in Death Valley, was 49 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit). The park stated, "Because the canyon walls absorb and radiate solar heat, the actual temperature inside Golden Canyon was likely even higher."

Park rangers recommend that visitors to Death Valley during the summer explore short distances in air-conditioned vehicles or hike in shaded mountainous areas. They also emphasized, "It is best not to hike at low elevations after 10 a.m."

A sign warning hikers of extreme heat.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 3rd, a man in his 60s was found dead inside a car near the North Highway road within Death Valley National Park. At that time, the midday temperature soared to 52.2 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit), but the man reportedly continued driving with the car’s air conditioner broken. Two tires were also flat, and the driver's side window was reportedly rolled down when he was found.

The U.S. National Park Service cited data from the National Weather Service (NWS), reporting that there have been 28 days this year when the temperature in Death Valley exceeded 43 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Meanwhile, Death Valley recorded 56.6 degrees Celsius in 1913, which is listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest temperature on Earth. In August 2020, it recorded the second highest temperature of 54.4 degrees Celsius. In Death Valley, roads often become so hot that tires of vehicles driving on them frequently go flat, causing accidents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.