New York City is on high alert amid a severe climate crisis, with local authorities officially reporting 13 deaths directly attributed to hypothermia. This comes amid a harsh cold wave that has gripped the city and large parts of the United States since January. These alarming statistics highlight the significant challenges facing the infrastructure and social services of one of the world's largest cities in the face of extreme climate change.
Mayor's statements and warnings of a record-breaking period
At a press conference on Monday, Zahran Mamdani that the city may be on the verge of setting a new and alarming climate record. "New York City may currently be in the midst of the longest continuous period of sub-zero temperatures (32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius) in its recorded history," Mamdani said. The mayor explained that the total number of deaths related to this cold snap had reached 16, with medical examinations confirming hypothermia as the primary cause in 13 cases, while the remaining three were attributed to drug overdoses, the risks of which are often exacerbated in extreme cold due to the body's inability to regulate its temperature.
Emergency response and shelter procedures
In response to this humanitarian crisis, the city intensified its efforts to protect the most vulnerable groups, especially the homeless. Mamdani confirmed that none of the deceased were sleeping in a tent on the street at the time of their deaths, noting that some had previously contacted shelter providers, raising questions about the effectiveness of ongoing monitoring of critical cases.
The mayor's office announced the activation of a comprehensive emergency plan that included:
- Setting up additional heating centers throughout the city.
- Activating a fleet of 20 vehicles equipped with specialized healthcare crews to search for those in need of assistance.
- More than 930 shelters and safe havens were occupied as of Monday morning.
- 18 people were forcibly transferred because they were found to pose an imminent danger to themselves or others due to weather conditions and mental state.
Historical context and escalating number of victims
These figures are increasingly alarming when compared to the city's historical data. According to official statistics, the number of frost-related deaths in New York City ranged from 9 to 27 annually between 2005 and 2020. However, recent years have seen a significant surge in these numbers, rising to 34 deaths in 2021 and reaching 54 in 2022. This escalation reflects the severity of extreme weather events and their direct impact on public health, necessitating a comprehensive review of housing and social welfare policies in the face of New York's harsh winters.
These prolonged cold spells are a real test of the resilience of major cities, as their impact is not limited to direct deaths, but extends to include pressure on power grids, disruption of transportation, and increased burdens on hospitals and emergency departments.
