The article discusses the deadly yet often forgotten nature of heat waves compared to storms like Hurricane Katrina. With millions of Americans facing extreme temperatures, heat waves are considered anonymous disasters, lacking the dramatic impact associated with storms or natural disasters. Events like the 2023 Phoenix heat wave, which resulted in approximately 400 deaths, are overshadowed by more narrative-rich storms. The societal memory of such events tends to blur into the background of unremarkable "unseasonably warm weather," leading to a collective ignorance of their severity.
This week's heat wave is menacing much of the entire country: Almost three-quarters of America's population—245 million people—have been subjected to temperatures of at least 90 degrees.
Heat waves have always been anonymous disasters. They lack the flashy action of earthquakes, volcanoes, or plagues, and they don't show up much in ancient histories and myths.
Collection
[
|
...
]