West Africa faces its worst heatwave in memory, with temperatures surpassing 40°C (104°F). Climate scientists link the extreme heat to fossil fuel-driven climate change. The elderly are particularly vulnerable, with hundreds or possibly thousands of heat-related deaths estimated. Urgent action is needed to reduce emissions and implement heat action plans. In Niger, a 96-year-old woman’s plight highlights the danger. Hospitals report a surge in heat-related illnesses. Without intervention, such heatwaves could become ten times more frequent.
