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Megacity heatwaves are now a fatal nightmare
Daytime and night-time heatwaves are coinciding, leaving no opportunity to cool down.
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The sprint of one sweltering afternoon is survivable for most people, but the marathon of days on end with no night-time respite can be fatal, says the writer.
PHOTO: AFP
David Fickling
Most people in reasonable health could probably complete a 100m run without serious ill effects. Get them to jog non-stop for 24 hours, and they might be in serious danger.
That’s a useful way to think about how urbanisation on our rapidly warming planet is risking the well-being of billions of people.
