Heat wave update: 486 sudden deaths reported in B.C. over 5 days

A staggering 486 sudden and unexpected deaths were reported across British Columbia over the past five days as the province suffered under a blistering heat wave, coroners said Wednesday.

That includes 98 sudden deaths in Vancouver, where police said two-thirds of the victims were age 70 or older.

The government is still working to determine how many of the fatalities are directly related to the sweltering heat that's broken dozens of local and national temperature records, but the B.C. Coroner Service said it's likely the majority are connected to the weather.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe urged the public to touch base with family, friends and neighbours, particularly those who live alone, to ensure their safety until the heat wave is over.

"People can be overcome by the effects of extreme heat quickly and may not be aware of the danger," Lapointe said in a news release.

"Please arrange regular check-ins with those who live alone, and encourage everyone you know to drink water, stay in the shade as much as possible and visit cooler environments whenever they can."

The 486 sudden deaths reported between Friday and Wednesday afternoon represent a 195 per cent increase over the number of deaths that would normally be expected over a five-day period, officials said.ctvnews