(Photo : DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
A Florida man and his adolescent stepson perished while hiking in the extreme heat of Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Officials report that a Florida man and his 14-year-old stepson perished while hiking in the extreme heat of Big Bend National Park in West Texas.
On Friday, the man, age 31, was hiking the Marufo Vega Trail with his two stepsons, ages 14 and 21.
Man, Stepson Dead During Hiking Adventure in Big Bend National Park
According to the National Park Service, temperatures were 119 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius) at the time. Like other regions of Texas, the park is experiencing extreme weather, with daily high temperatures between 110 and 119 degrees Fahrenheit (43 and 47 degrees Celsius).
During the hike, the 14-year-old became ill and lost consciousness. According to the park service, his stepfather hiked back to his vehicle while the boy's elder sibling attempted to carry him back to the trailhead.
According to the National Park Service, the 14-year-old youth became nauseated and passed out on the Marufo Vega Trail around 6 p.m. on Friday.
Friday at six o'clock p.m. Central Daylight Time, authorities were alerted to the emergency. At 7:30 p.m., a team of park rangers and US Border Patrol agents arrived on the scene and discovered that the 14-year-old had perished.
At 8 p.m., when authorities began searching for the father, they discovered that his vehicle had overturned at Boquillas Overlook. According to the park service, the man was pronounced deceased at the site.
Per Yahoo, authorities did not immediately disclose the two victims' identities, and the causes of their deaths were not immediately known.
According to the National Park Service, the trail is extremely rugged. The difficult trail meanders through rocky cliffs in the hottest portion of Big Bend without any shelter or water. Summertime temperatures along the Rio Grande and in the deserts of Big Bend range between 110 and 119 degrees Fahrenheit.
Saturday, a heat advisory was issued for the arid areas of the Big Bend. The National Park Service stated that "trekkers should be OFF TRAILS in the afternoon" and recommended that hikers remain hydrated and limit their exposure.
In March, a 64-year-old woman perished while hiking in Big Bend after collapsing. A 56-year-old man perished in February after experiencing chest symptoms while hiking the Pinnacles Trail in the park, according to CBS News.
US Heatwave
A record-breaking heat wave hits its third week in Texas, as temperatures reach triple digits in the broader southern United States and tens of thousands of people in affected states lack power and air conditioning.
More than 40 million Americans are under a heat advisory. Cities in Texas have experienced a record-breaking heat index, which combines temperature and humidity. Corpus Christi has reached 125F (51C), while Rio Grande Village and Del Rio have reached 118F and 115F, respectively (46C).
In addition to New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri, states such as New Mexico, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri are experiencing extreme heat, with the National Weather Service predicting that temperatures will continue to rise through the week of July 4.
The humidity follows a weekend of damaging storms that left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity. As it is known, the heat dome has settled over Mexico and sections of the southwestern United States. It is caused by ocean air that has become trapped in the atmosphere and is extremely heated.
This week, Texas's electric utility exhorted consumers to reduce air conditioning use to alleviate strain on the grid. The New York Times reports that emergency personnel in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, region have responded to a record number of complaints due to the heat and power outages.
NBC reports that residents of Jackson, Mississippi have been without power and air conditioning for nearly 100 hours. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 702 heat-related fatalities occur annually in the United States.
In 2021, 69 Oregonians perished due to heat caused by a heat dome. A county in Oregon filed a lawsuit against fossil fuel companies on Thursday, alleging that the oil and gas companies are responsible for the recent heat wave.
Older individuals, small children, pregnant women, those with chronic conditions, and outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable to health and safety risks posed by persistent heat.
Persons of color and low-income inhabitants are disproportionately affected by heat, whether due to their occupations or proximity to heat-aggravating industries and heat-trapping highways. At home, vulnerable communities may lack adequate cooling systems.
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