Heat fit kill? Wetin heatwave dey do to di body? - Ansas to questions as Europe ‘bake’ inside record temperatures

One heatwave continue to dey spread across parts of Europe.

Wildfires don dey reported for di Spanish island of La Palma and mainland Greece.

Di World Meteorological Organization say extreme weather patterns show di need for greater climate action.

Thousands of pipo don dey evacuated from homes and hotels for di Greek island of Rhodes afta wildfires break out for large parts of di island.

Greece fire service describe di fires as di most difficult dem don face - di island don dey battle wildfires wey strong winds cause since Tuesday.

Dem don evacuate more dan 3,500 pipo by land and sea to safety.

Wetin ogbonge heat dey do to our bodies?

As di body get hotter, blood vessels dey open up. E dey lea tod lower blood pressure and make di heart work harder to push di blood around di body.

E fit cause symptoms like heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky.

At di same time, sweating dey lead to di loss of fluids and salt and, di balance between dem inside di body dey change.

Dis, combined with di lowered blood pressure, fit lead to heat exhaustion. Symptoms include:

dizziness

nausea

fainting

muscle cramps

headaches

heavy sweating

tiredness

cold, pale and clammy skin

If blood pressure drop too far, di risk of heart attack go rise.

How I fit stay safe for di heat?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) get some tips:

Wear correct cloth wey dey lightweight and loose-fitting

Stay inside air-conditioned place as much as possible. If your home no get air conditioning, go to di shopping mall or di public library

You fit also call your local health department to see if any heat-relief shelters dey open for di area

Limit outdoor activity or reschedule to wen di temperature dey cooler

Drink plenty of fluids and no drink too much alcohol

Stay for shade, use sunscreen with high SPF and UVA rating, and wear cap wey wide.

Look out for pipo wey fit struggle to keep cool, such as older pipo, those with underlying conditions and those wey dey live alone

No leave anybody, especially babies, young children and animals, inside a locked vehicle

Pipo wey dey at risk

Old age or some long-term conditions, like heart disease, fit make pipo dey less able to cope with di strain heat dey put on di body.

Diabetes fit make di body lose water more quickly and some complications of di disease fit affect blood vessels and di ability to sweat.

Children and those wey dey less mobile fit also dey more vulnerable. Brain diseases, like dementia, fit also leave pipo unaware of di heat or unable to do anytin about it.

Pipo wey dey homeless fit also dey more exposed to di sun. Those wey dey live for top-floor flats fit also face higher temperatures.

Heat fit kill?Serious heat dey kill more dan 700 pipo for US each year, according to di CDC.

Most of am go be heart attacks and strokes wey dey caused by di strain of trying to keep body temperatures stable.

Di higher death rate start to dey kick in once di thermometer passes 77F-79F (25C-26C).

However, di evidence suggest say di deaths dey dey caused by higher temperatures in spring or early summer rather dan "peak summer".

Evidence from previous heatwaves show say di increase in deaths dey happen very quickly - within di first 24 hours of di heatwave.