A total of 18 people have died as a result of a period of extreme cold weather in New York City, its mayor has said.
Since late January, the city has endured a cold snap, including 13 days of temperatures of 0°C (32°F) or below – one of the longest stretches of sub-zero weather New York has seen in six decades.
Over the weekend, another person lost their life on the streets of our city, said Zohran Mamdani on Monday, adding that each life lost is a tragedy, and we will continue to hold their families in our thoughts.
While temperatures are set to rise this week, they remain below average, with Mamdani advising residents to stay safe, stay indoors... [and] keep looking out for one another.
The mayor added that since January 19, when a Code Blue emergency was announced, about 1,400 placements had been made into shelters, including an additional 64 hotel rooms and at least another 150 outreach workers deployed on the streets.
On January 27, Mamdani reported that at least 10 fatalities were among those found outdoors, with the circumstances of the remaining deaths still under investigation.
“We have been working hard to keep New Yorkers safe, and we will continue to do so. Because it is not forecast to be above 32 degrees [Fahrenheit] until tomorrow, and 35 degrees is hardly balmy weather,” he remarked.
The US National Weather Service forecasted temperatures will increase to about 0°C for most of the week, following persistent freezing temperatures on Monday. Hazardous sub-zero wind chills posed risks of hypothermia and frostbite over the weekend.
Additionally, NYC's Emergency Management agency warned that melting snow and ice could fall from buildings without warning and that streets and pavements might refreeze overnight, increasing risks for residents.
