Doctors warn that extreme heat, such as the 49°C temperatures recorded in parts of Australia, pushes the human body to its biological limits. Exposure to such heat can trigger heart attacks and other life-threatening conditions, as the body struggles to regulate its internal temperature.
Australia's southern states are experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures approaching 50°C in inland areas. Preliminary readings of 48.9°C in two locations in Victoria, if confirmed, would set a new state record. Four towns recorded temperatures above 48°C, while Broken Hill in New South Wales hit 47.8°C and Flowers Gap reached 49.1°C.
Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related hospitalisations in Australia and kills more people than all other natural hazards combined. The Bureau of Meteorology had forecast that January and all-time temperature records would be broken across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.
