ANKARA (AA) – Israel’s Defense Ministry warned Sunday that the country could be struck by two severe heat waves this summer as a result of climate change.
Temperature could hit as high as 49 degrees C (120 degrees F) between June and September, the ministry’s National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the Israel Meteorological Service warned in a prediction cited by The Jerusalem Post.
The prediction said the heat wave could result in up to an 8.5% increase in mortality and a rise between 10% and 15% in average hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease.
The heat wave could also cause electricity consumption to rise as much as 10%, leaving the country at extreme risk of fires, NEMA said. It also expects higher than usual heat in May and October.
“The State of Israel is preparing for various emergencies, crises and disasters, which may endanger human life, cause severe damage to daily life, national infrastructures, security capabilities, and significantly harm national resilience," NEMA said.
Experts predict that 2023 will be one of the hottest years on record.
According to predictions, global temperature will be at least 1 degree Celsius above average for the tenth consecutive year.
* Ikram Kouachi contributed to this report