A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that about 2,000 deaths in America are tied to the weather and two-thirds of them can be attributed to extreme cold .
The scientists acknowledge the findings may surprise some people.
The report’s author, Deborah Ingram, said hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves “get more publicity, for some reason, than cold-related deaths.”
Scientists looked at 10,649 deaths attributed to the weather, such as flooding, heat, storms and lightning over a five-year period.
About 31 percent of the deaths were caused by heat, heat stroke or sun stroke while the remaining 6 percent were attributed to storms, floods or lightning.
The highest heat-related death rates were in cities and very rural areas, and people 65 and older had much higher death rates than younger people.
Scientists say that may be because it’s harder for them to endure temperature extremes.
Agencies/Canadajournal