英国高温热死760人：为何30℃死数百人

英国高温热死760人：为何30℃死数百人

The U.K. is enduring a serious heat wave that has resulted in an estimated 540 to 760 deaths over nine days. The temperature on Thursday hit 31.0C, following Wednesday's year-high of 31.9C, marking the longest heatwave for seven years.

近日英国遭受到强热浪侵袭，9天内的死亡人数预计达到540人至760人。继本周三达到全年最高的31.9℃后，周四气温继续维持在31℃，这是英国近7年来持续时间最长的一波热浪。

Yet the highest the temperature has risen is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the time, temperatures have hovered in the high 80s, which, while toasty, doesn't seem like it could kill hundreds of people.

虽说英国今夏的最高温度已达到近90华氏度（约32℃），但大多数时候也不过徘徊在85华氏度（约29℃）以上。这样的天气的确很热，但似乎也不至于导致数百人丧命。

Last month, for example, the temperature hit 117 degrees in Las Vegas during a heat wave that scorched the Southwest and parts of California. Yet, across a vast region of the United States, only a few fatalities were recorded.

比方说上个月一股热浪席卷了加州西南部及其他部分地区，拉斯维加斯的最高气温一度达到117华氏度（约47℃），但是在美国大片地区也只有少数几起死亡案例。

So why does 90 degrees kill in the U.K.?

所以说为何在英国90华氏度就能致人死亡呢？

One reason is that air-conditioning is relatively rare in England. Only 0.5 percent of homes in the U.K. have air-conditioning, according to the BBC. Compare that to the United States, where an estimated 87 percent of households have an air-conditioning unit.

其中一个原因是空调。在英国，空调相对来说并不常见，根据BBC的数据，只有0.5%的家庭安装了空调。而在美国，大约87%的家庭都配备了空调机组。

（高峰时间英国地铁内的温度达到34℃）

Temperatures approaching 90 degrees are unusual in the U.K. In London, the average high in July is only 73 degrees. As a result, many people don't take the proper precautions against extreme heat.

英国的气温很少会达到90华氏度，伦敦7月份的最高温度平均只有73华氏度（约23℃）。因此很多人没有对极端高温采取适当的预防措施。

The heat wave, the U.K.'s first prolonged one since 2006, is expected to continue for several more days. Stay cool, U.K.!

自2006年来，英国第一次遇到持续时间如此长的热浪，而它还将再逗留数日。找到凉快的办法吧，英国！